Himachal Needs Favourable Environment Before Investor Outreach: Thakur

Shimla, Dec 18 (PTI) The Himachal Pradesh government should first focus on creating a favourable environment for industries in the state and then invite investors, former Chief Minister and Leader of Opposition Jai Ram Thakur said on Monday.

Taking a dig at Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu for his Dubai visit, he said on the one hand, the mafia is threatening industrialists and on the other, the CM is visiting abroad trying to woo investors.

In a press statement issued here, Thakur said investors will themselves come to the state when there is cooperation instead of red tapism and local laws will be encouraging.

He said before investing, every industrialist checks out the conditions of that place.

Today, when an industrialist gets a survey done before setting up an industry in Himachal, he comes to know that the present state government has stopped the schemes run by the previous government, initiated to encourage industries.

He said the previous BJP government launched many schemes and gave concessions to promote industries so that industrialists come to Himachal to set up industries.

"Laws have been made stricter, concessions have been abolished and additional taxes are being imposed, instead of subsidies", he said, adding that the mafia is active in the state and are opening fire in broad daylight to extort money.

"The mafia is threatening industrialists to such an extent that they are giving an ultimatum to the government that they will close their business and are exploring possibilities of taking their business to other states," he said.

"We made Himachal investor-friendly, due to which industrialists agreed to invest in the state. Despite all legal complications, Himachal Pradesh became number one among the hill states in ease of doing business," he added.