Extend Concessional Industrial Package to Uttarakhand: Nitin Gadkari to PM

Terming as "breach of trust" the Centre's decision of not extending the Concessional Industrial Package (CIP) to Uttarakhand, BJP president Nitin Gadkari today appealed to the prime minister to continue the incentives as such a scheme would encourage investment in the state and provide employment.

"The Centre's decision is unfortunate, illegal and illogical... It amounts to breach of trust as the industrialists were investing in the states due to the CIP," he said appealing prime minister Manmohan Singh to extend the package.

The NDA government led by Atal Behari Vajpayee had given the CIP to Uttarakhand in 2003, however, the Congress curtailed the package, originally given for 10 years, till March 31, 2010 after coming to power at the Centre in 2004.

Nearly 2,000 industrial units have been set up in the state since the launch of the package, which provides tax holiday for them.

"Any announcement made by a prime minister must be respected by his successor," Gadkari told reporters in Dehradun.

BJP will raise the CIP issue in the coming session of Parliament. It will also demand extension of CIP to Himachal Pradesh, he said.

Gadkari also criticised the Centre for failing to control inflation and spiralling price rise.

Wrong economic policies of the UPA are responsible for inflation, he said.