The industries have migrated from Himachal Pradesh largely owing to the government's "anti-industry" policy and "corruption", with Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu's "failure" to stop it, said the BJP on Tuesday.
Talking to the media outside the Legislative Assembly here, former Chief Minister Jairam Thakur said the spike in electricity rates has also been one of the major reasons for the industry migration. "While industrialists have also been harassed by extorting money forcibly, the result is that instead of investing, industrialists are turning to other states, a matter of concern.
The environment created by the previous government for investment in the state has been completely ruined by the present helm. This is badly impacting the state's economy," Leader of Opposition in the state, Thakur, said.
He said during the Question Hour on the seventh day of the session of the Vidhan Sabha, BJP member and former Industry Minister Bikram Thakur had asked questions about setting up new industries in the state and migration of industries, but the party members were not satisfied with the reply given by Industry Minister Harshwardhan Chauhan and Chief Minister Sukhu.
He said they walked out of the House in protest. The BJP leader accused the Chief Minister of repeatedly misleading the House. The Leader of the Opposition said an important question was asked about industries, which the Industry Minister could not answer.
"Ever since the Congress government has come to power, industries have been either closing down or migrating from the state. Industries have a big contribution to the economy of Himachal, and also contribute to providing employment, but this government is harassing the industrialists.
Corruption is at its peak in the government. Extortion is being done by industries, due to which industries are migrating from here. Due to the wrong policies and corruption of the government, industries are continuously migrating from the state, and unemployment is increasing rapidly," Thakur said.
He said during the BJP government, the state had big projects like Medical Device Park and Bulk Drug Park, but the present government has completely "failed", as no big industry came to the state in the past three years.
Contrary, industries are moving out of Himachal Pradesh due to the huge increase in electricity rates. "People sitting in the government are involved in corruption and big industrialists are afraid to invest here," he said.
During the previous government of the BJP, an investor meet was held in Dharamsala in which an investment of Rs 96,721 crore was agreed upon, Thakur said. In the first ground-breaking ceremony, 236 projects for Rs 13,488 crore were launched, he added.