Minister pats back on Rs 2,500 cr investments

Pankaj Sharma

Nahan, July 29

The Minister of Industry, Parliamentary Affairs, Labour and Employment, Harshwardhan Chauhan, toured Sirmaur district and inspected the ongoing construction of a rest house of the Public Works Department in his home constituency of Shillai. He instructed the department officials to ensure high-quality and timely construction.

State Govt aiming to generate 12,000 jobs

Since the Congress came to power in Himachal Pradesh, the state attracted new investments, which totalled up to Rs 10,000 crore. Significant project under development is the bulk drug park in Una, with an estimated cost of Rs 2,000 crore. This project is expected to create approximately 12,000 jobs and generate an annual turnover of Rs 50,000 crore, which will benefit the state with an annual revenue of Rs 5,000 crore. — Harshwardhan Chauhan, Minister

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Minister Chauhan said there had been a rise in the number of industries in Himachal Pradesh, noting that the state has become India’s largest hub for pharmaceuticals. He highlighted the recent single window clearance meeting during which investments worth approximately Rs 2,500 crore were approved for various industrial areas, including Kala Amb, Paonta Sahib, Baddi, Nalagarh and Una.

He said, “Since the Congress took power in Himachal Pradesh, the state attracted new investments, which totalled up to Rs 10,000 crore. Significant project under development was a bulk drug park in Una, with an estimated cost of Rs 2,000 crore. This project is expected to create approximately 12,000 jobs and generate an annual turnover of Rs 50,000 crore, which would benefit the state with an annual revenue of Rs 5,000 crore.”

Chauhan said the government has a zero-tolerance policy towards illegal mining, drug and alcohol trafficking, and timber smuggling. He stated political interference in such activities would not be tolerated and stringent action would be taken against those involved in these activities.

Expressing dissatisfaction with the Central Government’s Budget, Minister Chauhan pointed out that while significant projects were approved for Andhra Pradesh and Bihar, Himachal Pradesh was overlooked. He noted that clear aid was provided to states affected by last year’s monsoon disasters, such as Sikkim, Assam, and Uttarakhand, while Himachal Pradesh received vague assurances. He urged the BJP-led Central Government to allocate the budget to the Himachal Pradesh government without political bias.

Chauhan praised the people of Himachal Pradesh for rejecting the BJP’s Operation Lotus by supporting Congress candidates in recent byelections, showing a strong stance against political horse-trading and defection. He said the state government was working towards making Himachal Pradesh self-reliant by reducing unnecessary expenditures and increasing state revenue.

Acknowledging that unemployment was a significant issue in Himachal Pradesh, Chauhan announced that the government has approved 28,000 posts in various departments, including 6,000 in education, 4,500 in water power, 2,160 in forest, 1,200 in police, and 900 in revenue. He stated that the government was approving 200 to 300 posts in each cabinet meeting to provide employment opportunities in both government and non-government sectors.

During his visit, Chauhan addressed the issues raised by various panchayat representatives and local residents, resolving many on the spot and directing the officials of the department concerned to act swiftly on the remaining issues.

In addition, six families from the Rast Panchayat expressed their faith in Chauhan’s work by joining the Congress.