CII seeks better road, air connectivity
Tribune News Service
Solan, March 4
The CII in its pre-Budget memorandum submitted to the state government has suggested capacity expansion of road and better rail and air connectivity for attracting and sustaining investment.
“Himachal is a landlocked state and absence of good connectivity and infrastructure adds to the woes of investors. This adversely impacts tourism sector which is one of the highest revenue and employment generators for the state. Progress on expansion of rail network in the state post independence has been negligible. Now it is high time for the state government to push for strengthening of railway infrastructure in the state”, said Shailesh Pathak, Chairman, CII Himachal Pradesh State Council.
The CII also advocated for complete abolition of Certain Goods Carried by Road Tax and Additional Goods Tax as these two taxes are being levied in Himachal Pradesh only and are against the spirit of One Nation One Tax, said Pathak.
For giving a boost to start-ups and entrepreneurship, the CII has recommended specific budgetary provisions for carving out dedicated land banks for MSMEs in various locations with all required common infrastructure like effluent treatment, fire hydrants, power infrastructure, etc put in place by the state government.
“Himachal Pradesh is a leading power producer state in the country and is a power surplus state. The state government should leverage this advantage to attract new investments by giving more power incentives such as low electricity duty, rebate on higher consumption, etc. along with providing quality and uninterrupted power, said Shailesh Aggarwal, Vice Chairman, CII Himachal Pradesh State Council.
Aggarwal further added that with neighbouring states getting power surplus and offering lower tariffs, the Himachal government should also ensure power tariff freeze for the next couple of years to boost the sentiments of the investors.
The CII also laid special emphasis on budgetary provisions for harnessing competitive advantages of the state such tourism, agro and food processing, floriculture and cultivation of medicinal plants and herbs, etc. which will on one hand create self- employment opportunities for the local populace and on the other hand will stop migration of youth to other states in search of livelihood.
