Himachal industry struggles to keep up pace despite infra boost

Ambika Sharma

Tribune News Service

Solan, December 26

Infrastructure development for the industrial sector in Himachal received a major boost this year with several projects, including Rs 5,000 crore medical device park, having been sanctioned by the Centre.

The industrial production too managed to catch pace after a sluggish start, owing to the Covid-induced restrictions in various clusters.

Meanwhile, the state government’s thrust on infrastructure development saw some positive outcomes with the Hindustan Petroleum Corporation setting up a grain-based ethanol plant in Una district worth Rs 400 crore for which the land has been allotted. A tool room worth Rs 17 crore has received an in-principal approval from the Union Ministry of Micro Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) and is being set up in the Tahliwal industrial area. It is the first such cluster development project in the state.

A competitive proposal for setting up a bulk drug park in Una district was also submitted before the Centre though its approval is awaited.

Also, the state government signed Memorandums of Understanding (MoUs) for 279 projects worth Rs 20,786 crore. This includes 130 MoUs of the Industries Department, which will fetch an investment of Rs 11,503 crore. The ground-breaking ceremony will be held on Monday after which the investors will take effective steps to launch their projects.

As many as 39 new projects worth Rs 7,563.71 crore and 33 worth Rs 1,851.47 crore comprising the expansion of the existing industries have been cleared in the five state single-window meetings held in the current fiscal. This will generate employment for 16,669 persons. It, however, remains to be seen how many projects will begin production. Since there were no Central incentives available, a few new units opted for registration with the Industries Department after commencing the commercial production.

Moreover, the much-awaited four-laning of the Pinjore-Nalagarh highway, which will decongest the state’s industrial hub of Baddi-Barotiwala-Nalagarh, kick-started.

The state’s pharmaceutical industry, on the other hand, remained the front-runner in fight against Covid with drugs like remdesivir, favipiravir among others and vaccines such as Sputnik V being manufactured here. 

33,226 small-scale units

356 large and medium units

279 MoUs signed

Rs 20,786 cr proposed investment

STATE RANKINGS

• Himachal Pradesh is ranked 19th in the overall export preparedness and 3rd in Himalayan states
• As per the Udyam Registration data up to June 30, the state ranks 22nd in the number of MSMEs with an overall share of 0.46% nationally

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