Himachal Pradesh had succeeded in attracting industrial investment worth Rs. 3,000 crore through 2,522 new industrial units granted permission for setting up in different parts of the State after the withdrawal of the Special Industrial Package by the Centre. This was revealed by Prem Kumar Dhumal, Chief Minister, while interacting with the industrialists through video conferencing facility launched by HP State Pollution Control Board, connecting all its five regional offices with video conferencing facilities, from State headquarters, today. He said that industrialists were the real ambassadors of the State who had always been motivating other prospective entrepreneurs to invest in the industrial friendly environment of the State.
Chief Minister said that industrial boom had been witnessed at its maintained pace even after the withdrawal of the Special Industrial Package ahead of its scheduled time by the Government of India and credit goes to the quality infrastructural facilities created and cordial relations maintained with the entrepreneurs besides providing them industrial investment friendly environment and required infrastructural required for setting up of industries. He said that the State Government had provided administrative backup in every industrial area to facilitate local entrepreneurs in carrying forward with their production activities. He said that separate excise and police districts had been created for Baddi-Barotiwala-Nalagarh Industrial area besides opening Drug Controller office to facilitate drug manufacturers. He said that revenue offices, public works, irrigation and electricity divisions had also been created for the convenience of the local entrepreneurs which had gone a long way in winning the trust of the investors and in providing them all required facilities at their door steps.
Prof. Dhumal congratulated the HP State Pollution Control Board for launching the Video Conferencing facility in Baddi, Paonta Sahib, Tahliwal, Parwanoo and linking it with the State Headquarters to constantly maintain dialogue with the entrepreneurs through their regional offices. He said that it had been the best use of the information technology which was bound to lessen the paper work, plug communication gaps and bring about efficiency in the functioning of the Board. He said that such a facility would also be helpful in checking the corruption. He thanked Government of Gujrat for helping State in setting of Aryabhatta Geo-Informatics & Space Application Centre (AGiSAC) project in the State. He said that popularity and usage of video tele-conferencing was increasing day-by-day as it was useful for multifacious activities i.e. business, meetings, training purposes, educational institutions, security and surveillance etc.. He said that the facility would be useful for getting information from different regional offices of the State Board, in the form of presentations. He said that the facility would be useful in monitoring the pollution in cement industries set up in the state besides ensuring release of 15 percent discharge of the total water from HEP dams.
Interacting with the representatives of Industrial Associations, Chief Minister said that the State Government was considering providing common effluent treatment plant in every industrial area of the State, beautify Parwanoo industrial area and complete construction of 33 KV Sub Station at Tahliwal in district Una on priority.
Chief Secretary Harinder Hira also congratulated HP State Pollution Control Board for the new initiative taken in gainful utilization of the information technology which would go a long way in checking pollution in industrial areas of the State besides regularly monitoring the industrial activities through video conferencing. She said that tremendous industrial investment was coming to State which was a positive sign of industrial growth in the state.
S. Roy, Additional Chief Secretary, said that the tele-videoconferencing would be instrumental in monitoring and evaluation of pollution related activities at the field level. He said that pollution level of cement industry and hydro electric project water would also be possible. Sanjay Sood, Member Secretary, welcomed the Chief Minister and apprised him of different activities of the Board besides conducting the conferencing with the regional offices.
