Capital subsidy scheme in Himachal Pradesh ends on Mar 31; many units await grant

Tribune News Service

Lalit Mohan

Dharamsala, March 27

Capital subsidy package in the state will end on March 31. The efforts of the state government to get the package enhanced have failed to yield any results as yet.

In the last four years, hundreds of new units have come up in the state and taken benefit of the capital subsidy scheme given by the Union government. However, many are still waiting for reimbursement for capital subsidy.

As many as 113 industries and hotels that have come up in Himachal since 2017 are awaiting capital subsidy worth Rs 134 crores from the Government of India. These units were eligible for capital subsidy up to 30 per cent of their investment up to a maximum of Rs 5 crores under the scheme given by Union government to promote industry in the state in the year 2017.

The Government of India had notified the industrial policy development scheme, 2017 for new and existing industrial units of Himachal engaged in manufacturing and service sector. The scheme was announced for a period of five years till March 2022 and it was applicable for even those units which went in for expansion in the state.

Sources revealed that in the last three years the state level committee had sanctioned claims of 151 industrial and service sector units for grant of subsidy under the scheme. Out of 151 claims cleared by the state level committee, claims of just 38 units have been honoured by the Union government and subsidy of just Rs 54 crores has been disbursed among the beneficiaries. However, 113 cases which have been approved by the state level committee are still pending with the union India. These approved cases are entitled for a subsidy of Rs 134 crores, the sources said. The industrial units which are entitled for subsidy have been writing to the state government to settle their cases in time.

Another matter of concern for the state industries department was that since the capital subsidy package for the state was ending in March 31 it might hit investment in the state. Himachal has been struggling to attract industry since the Corona outbreak in the country. If the capital subsidy scheme for Himachal was not extended the state would lose its edge in attracting investment vis-à-vis adjoining states of Punjab and Jammu and Kashmir.

Prajapati said the state government has requested the Union government to extend the capital subsidy package for the state for another five years. Chief Minister Jai Ram Thakur and minister for industries Bikram Thakur have taken up the matter with the Union government for extend capital subsidy package for the state for another five years. The matter was discussed in the Vidhan Sabha also and an resolution passed which has been sent to the Government of India for extending the capital subsidy package for the state, he said.

Govt pursuing matter: Director

The state government is consistently pursuing the cases of subsidy with the Union government. Minister of Industries Bikram Thakur is also taking up the case with the Union Ministry for Industry and Commerce. Hopefully, the subsidy to eligible industries units will be released soon. — Rakesh Prajapati, Director, Industries

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