Dehradun, July 11
Unable to get any concession in the Budget for the extension of the central industrial package beyond 2010 and with the industry in Uttarakhand battling economic recession, the state government finds itself in great distress.

It will be an uphill task for the new Chief Minister Ramesh Pokhriyal Nishank to give a boost to industry in the state.

Once a hot favourite of the industry following the announcement of an industrial package in 2003, the situation has worsened for all major companies which have started scaling down their production and retrenching staff. Many micro, small and medium industries are contemplating shutting shop.

The much-hyped about hill industrial policy announced by former Chief Minister Maj Gen BC Khanduri (retd) on April 1, 2008, has come a cropper.

Under the hill industrial policy of 2008, apart from offering a number of incentives, including heavy transport subsidies to small and cottage industries, the Uttarakhand government has not been able to ensure the setting-up of a single manufacturing unit in the hills, mainly due to the on-going recession.

However, officials claim that there is silver lining in the dark clouds. The state government has received investment proposals for hotel resorts and spas at key tourist sites.

Bharat Hotels is setting up a five-star hotel at Rishikesh for which the government has already granted permission. Pindar Glacier Resorts is planning to invest Rs 2.25 crore in a hotel resort at Kodiyala on 
the banks of the Ganga near Rishikesh.

The government has also received a couple of proposals for hotel resorts at Kempty Falls near the hill resort of Mussoorie.

Similarly, the government has received several proposals for the Tehri dam reservoir site for which it has already set up a development authority.

There are at least 23 new proposals for hotels and spas in Chamoli district, a hilly area where the Badrinath shrine is located.

The government is also encouraging yoga and ayurvedic huts in the hills and is in touch with yoga guru Baba Ramdev.

The state government has been offering incentives like 90 per cent rebate on VAT, free stamp duty, heavy transport subsidy and rebate on power tariffs for period of 10 years for setting up industries in the hill districts.

In the past one year, the situation has changed drastically on the industrial front in 
the state.

Uttarakhand had become the latest industrial happening place in the country after 2003, with investment expected to reach Rs 20,000 crore in 2008.

Most top industrial houses whether in automobiles, pharmaceuticals, Information Technology and consumer goods have either set up shop in the state or planned to come to this Himalayan state in a big way.

Taking benefit of the income tax and excise holidays given under the special industrial package by the central government and the concessions in the shape of land, power and infrastructure by the state government, most top companies had set up their plants at various industrial estates.

The extension of the tax benefits from March 2007 to March 2010 to Uttarakhand by the central government had also attracted more companies to avail of these benefits.

The industrial growth rate of the state, which in 2002 was only 1.9 per cent, galloped to 18 per cent with this huge investment. The state was set to become the next automobile and two-wheeler destination in the country attracting all automobile majors of the country.

Tata Motors, Mahindra and Mahindra, Hero Honda and Bajaj Auto set up their plants at either Haridwar or Pant Nagar industrial estates.

Following the coming of these automobile majors, a large number of other ancillary units connected with the auto industry also followed suit.

More than 2,500 industrial units set up their plants and many started production. Some big names are Nestle, LG, Britannia, Hindustan Lever, Voltas, Lakhani Shoes, Relaxo, Liberty, Dabur India and Parle.

The State Industrial Development Corporation (SIDCUL) has developed two Industrial estates, one at Pantnagar and another at Haridwar, besides setting up another estate at Sitarganj with private participation.

A ‘Pharma City’ had come up at Selaqui near Dehradun while Information Technology Park was set up at Sahastradhara.

Another industrial estate at Bhagwanpur near Roorkee also attracted many pharmaceutical and biotech units.

Major investors were Ranbaxy, Natco, Pegasus, Chrispharma, Intaslab and Mastic and Harris laboratories, Coral, India Glycol and Mepromax Life Sciences.

The 60-acre Information Technology park at Sahastradhara near Dehradun also attracted IT majors like Cisco systems, IBM and Intel which have signed MoUs with the state government.

A similar Biotechnology Park is being developed at the industrial estates at Pantnagar.

However, if the present trend of recession is any indication, then the industrial boom in the state seems to be over.

According to industry sources, electronic, packaging, personal care, automobile and pharmaceutical units have scaled down production by more than 50 per cent in the past one year.

The worst hit have been the vendors who had been associated with these industries and were totally dependent on them.

The pharmaceutical and electronic industry are also badly hit in Selaqui industrial belt. “The economic meltdown, the reduction in the central excise concession from 16 per cent to 8 per cent has forced some of them to close shop and shift,” said Pankaj Gupta, president of state unit of the Indian Industries Association (IIA).

With Chief Minister Ramesh Pokhriyal Nishank at the helm of affairs, it will be interesting to watch whether he succeeds in attracting industries to the hill region and help in restoring confidence in the industry already set up in the plains. 

Roorkee, July 11
There are several reasons for the managing committee of the 53-year-old local Adarsh Bal Niketan Senior Secondary School to feel proud of.

The school that is being run in the IIT premises here is one of the oldest schools of the area.

It was inaugurated by the first Prime Minister of the country Pt Jawahar Lal Nehru on November 25, 1956.

To cherish the valuable memories of the visit of ‘Chacha Nehru’, the school authorities have proudly placed a blackboard at the entry gate on which the dignitary had written a message for the students and staff of the school.

Apart from Nehru’s message, delivering 100 per cent result in class XII this year is another achievement for the school.

The school is being managed by IIT professors who are nominated by Chairman, BoG, and Director, IIT-R.

“Ours is the only school in Roorkee, which has come out with cent per cent result in class XII,” said the proud manager of the institute Dr Praveen Kumar.

The school was built mainly for the children of IIT staff to provide quality education.

Though the IIT-R provides land and faculty to manage all administrative affairs of the school but the school does not get any financial support either from the prime technical institute or the government.

Terming the school, with the strength of 1,800, as self-reliant, Dr Praveen said, “We run the school on ‘no profit, no loss’ basis.”

“With our management skills, we were the first one here who implemented the Sixth Pay Commission for our staff and that too, by raising just Rs 100 in our fee structure,” said Dr Parveen.

The school also gives many scholarships and cash awards.

Every year, cash award of Rs 11,000 is given to each ABN topper of standard XII (commerce and science streams) and standard X.

The toppers in boys and girls category (standard X) also receive Rs 5,000 cash award.

The school has also done well in sports. Two students of the school made it to national-level teams in basketball this year.

The school also retained basketball championship defeating all CBSE schools in Roorkee.

“Keeping alive Pandit Nehru’s vision in education is our prime purpose,” said Dr Praveen Kumar.

Dehradun, July 11
Creative bathrooms with lavish accessories are today becoming part of lifestyle, and with easy availability of high-end sanitary brands like Kohler entering the Doon market people now have more options to experiment and get a bathroom which has both quality and style.

Hindware, Vitreous are some of the common sanitary wear companies that people are generally accustomed to, but Kohler the known brand of USA has predominantly been more popular in the metropolitans.

“In April we opened the Kohler showroom as not only we wanted people of the city to experience the quality and unique styling of the brand, but also so that they don’t have to visit outside city for styling their bathrooms with the bold look of the brand,” said Geetangali, owner Kohler.

However, the brand does not only cater to the rich but has something for everyone so that quality products can easily becomes a part of day-to-day lifestyle.

With the coming up modern apartments people are finding it easier to relate with the concepts of lavish, contemporary and beautifully decorated bathrooms. People these days give equal importance to the bathrooms as they give to the other parts of their house.

“Our products start from mere Rs 2,000 and goes up to Rs 7 lakhs. But depending upon the budget there’s variety for everyone and not only bathroom but Kohler specialises in kitchen accessories too,” added Geetangali.

“ With basic sanitary wear, the brand also specialises in Jacuzzi and DTV II shower system which comes with facility of steam, lighting and music. “People who are looking for state-of-art bathrooms and believe in style enquire about DTV 11 shower system, which is worth Rs 2 lakh and above. Also Jacuzzi, which could be yours at Rs 55,000 is doing a good business and since two months we have got a very good response,” said Geetangali.