Himachal Pradesh seeks restoration of Centre's Industrial Package

SHIMLA: Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh today said his government would request the Centre to restore the Industrial Package for the state which was "prematurely withdrawn" in 2010.

The package was granted in January 2003 for a period of 10 years but was withdrawn in March 2010 in the wake of complaints from neighbouring states that the incentive had led to industries leaving their states for Himachal, he said.

Alleging the neighbouring states gave wrong facts to press the Central government to withdraw the package, Singh said there was no flight of the industry from adjoining states and only expansion units were set up in Himachal.

"Incentives and packages are necessary for development of the state, which mostly comprises hilly areas, and to enable it to come on par with neighbouring states," he said after laying the foundation for a 100-bed Mother and Child Health unit at the Kamla Nehru Hospital here.

Asserting the state government had accorded top priority to the health sector, Singh said efforts were being made to provide "quality and specialised" health care not only in urban areas but also in rural belts.

He said 100 posts of doctors were being filled during the current fiscal while 100 more would be recruited next year.

Health minister Kaul Singh Thakur said he had again taken up the matter of increasing MBBS seats in Indira Gandhi Medical College and Hospital from 100 to 150 with Union Health Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad.