Cabinet sub-committee satisfied with HP govt's works

The cabinet sub-committee, which was formed to review the implementation of poll promises, has expressed satisfaction that "the government had not only implemented all the poll promises but also accelerated the pace of development."
Himachal Pradesh Minister Vidya Stokes, who presided over the meeting to review the achievements of tourism, industries, home, art language and culture and sainik welfare, said the government had adopted the election manifesto as "policy document" and all the poll promises havebeen "fulfilled".
Directing the officers to promptly implement the decisions of the government, she said all the targets should be achieved within the stipulated time.

She said "concrete" measures were taken to promote sustainable tourism in the state and there was 7-8 per cent growth in tourists footfalls every year and the exemption from luxury tax under home stay scheme has been extended upto July 2018.
Further, in order to boost the tourism industry, new hotel units have been exempted from paying luxury tax for a period of ten years in rural areas, backward panchayats and tribal areas, Stokes said.
2,500 youth would be trained under 'hunar se rozgar tak' scheme in this year for self employment and tourist guide training was imparted to 1,000 youth, she said.

The minister said Rs 567 crore were being spent under ADB funded projects on creating tourist infrastructure at important tourist destinations besides identifying 28 places where amenities would be developed to facilitate tourists.

Efforts were being made to make Himachal Pradesh an industrial hub of the country, she said, adding investor meets were also being held outside the state to woo the investors.
Stokes said an 'investment promotion cell' has also been set up in order to promote investment in the state and added procedures have been simplified and made online to facilitate the entrepreneurs.
She said to provide world class infrastructural facilities to the entrepreneurs, three state-of-the-art industrial areas were being developed in Himachal Pradesh.

State Food Processing Mission has been started to promote industrial units in the sector, she added.