Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh today asked the Centre to immediately set up a replacement for the 'non-functional' Planning Commission, as even allocations for this fiscal made by it had come to a halt.
Speaking at the interactive investment meet organised by his government in collaboration with the Confederation of Indian Industry, he recalled Himachal Pradesh was totally an agrarian state when it was formed, with hardly any industry, proper electricity, schools and no basic infrastructure.
"Today due to the persistent efforts of the governments of Himachal Pradesh, patronage of visionaries like Jawaharlal Nehru, Lal Bahadur Shastri, Indira Gandhi and very helping hand given to all hill states- Himachal, as well as north east states and Jammu and Kashmir, these states have progressed. We were declared a special category states..." "....and today it seems to be doldrums, Planning Commission has been removed, it is not functioning, and no other agency has come into action in place of the Planning Commission," he said.
Stating that even allocations made by the Commission for the current fiscal have come to a halt, Singh said, "This is a specific incidence. I will urge the government of India. It is its prerogative to keep the Planning Commission or replace it with any other body, but somebody which is going to replace it must come into function immediately."
The Chief Minister said such things happen when there is a change in regime and he does not read any motive behind it.
"But I think if you change something, the replacement should also be announced on the same day," he added.
Singh invited industries to invest in his state assuring them of complete support from the government. Permission or clearances to set up industries would be given within three months from the date of submitting the application, he said.
He also said his government would ensure adequate power supply for industries, as Himachal Pradesh is a power surplus state.
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