Rs 10,000 cr investment to be finalised in Himachal: Minister

Our Correspondent
UNA, JULY 29

Industries Minister Bikram Thakur has said the second ground-breaking ceremony will be held in September during which new industrial units with a total investment of about Rs 10,000 crore will be finalised in the state.

Bikram Thakur was speaking at the Mehatpur industrial area last night after launching public works estimated at Rs 1.6 crore. The works included the inauguration of a drinking water pump house, an overhead water storage tank, high mast lights and some other infrastructure. He also laid the stone for the construction of a shopping complex in the industrial area on which Rs 19 lakh will be spent.

The minister said that during the first ground-breaking ceremony, investment to the tune of Rs 13,000 crore was actually came, adding that in the second ceremony, MoUs for investment to the tune of Rs 10,000 crore were expected.

Bikram Thakur said not a single industrial area was linked to any national industrial corridor, which was hindering the investment. He said with the sustained efforts of the government, the approval to include Baddi-Barotiwala-Nalagarh industrial area in the Kolkata Industrial Corridor loop had been received from the Union Government.

Satpal Singh Satti, Chairman of the State Finance Commission, said since Una has a broad gauge rail line connectivity, the approval for setting up a terminal of Hindustan Petroleum, rail fed petroleum oil and lubricants terminal and grain based ethanol plant had been received and Rs 700 crore would be invested in Una to set up these facilities.