CM Thakur urges entrepreneurs to invest in tourism and food processing sectors in Himachal

While addressing entrepreneurs here, Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Jai Ram Thakur on Friday said it was for the first time that the state government had taken a holistic approach to attract investment for the state.

He was addressing the MoU holders in industries including manufacturing, pharmaceuticals, food processing, IT and Electronics during the second day of the Rising Himachal Global Investors Meet here.

"The state had been bestowed by nature with immense potential in fruit production. Himachal Pradesh was known as 'Fruit Bowl' of India and produce varied types of fruits due to its different climatic conditions and there was a vast scope of investment in fruit and food processing," the Chief Minister said.

He added, "Himachal Pradesh had varied climatic conditions and diverse topographic making it suitable for growing a wide range of medicinal plants. The state government would provide all possible help to the interested entrepreneurs for setting up their units in the state."

He also held a meeting with the MoU holders of tourism, wellness, and AYUSH where he said that the state offers investors a variety of choices in the tourism sector like adventure, wildlife, eco-tourism, heritage, spiritual, monuments, religious, skiing etc.

"The state government is committed to making sustainable tourism as one of the prime engines of growth in the state by establishing it as a leading global sustainable tourism destination", said Thakur.

Further, he added that with 300 pharma companies and over 700 Pharma formulations manufacturing units functioning here, Himachal Pradesh was known as the Pharmaceutical hub of Asia.

"Himachal Pradesh offers attractive incentives under the industrial policy to boost investment in the state and the government has recently amended the policy in sectors such as Tourism, AYUSH, IT and electronics and hydro energy to make it more attractive and industry-friendly," the Chief Minister said.

While presiding over the meeting with the MoU holders of housing, urban development, and transport, he said: "The state government would act as a facilitator for the MoU holders to get time-bound approvals of all their projects so that these could take off without any delay. All the issued raised today by the entrepreneurs would be resolved at the earliest."

Industries Minister Bikram Singh Thakur said, "The state government under the able leadership of Chief Minister Jai Ram Thakur was ensuring that the state emerges as Hub of investment in the country."

"The state government had decided to give approval for maps for construction of houses within thirty days, " Urban Development Minister Sarveen Chaudhary said.