Shimla, Feb 21 (PTI) Ruling Congress and opposition BJP traded charges over the alleged delay in the execution of Bulk Drug Park and Medical Device Park during question hour in the Himachal Pradesh Assembly on Wednesday, leading the BJP to stage a walk out.
The trouble started when Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu said the government would neither sell nor compromise with the interests of the state and execute the projects on its own terms.
The BJP members said they have some apprehensions which needed clarification and staged a walkout raising slogans.
Replying to a question from Bikram Singh of the BJP and a supplementary from former chief minister Jai Ram Thakur, Sukhu said the previous BJP government gave 1,400 acre land for Bulk Drugs Park and 400 acre to Medical Device Park on lease of Re 1. It also entered into agreement to give free water and electricity at the rate of Rs 3 per unit whereas the state government purchases electricity at Rs 7 per unit from October to March.
Both the BJP members alleged that the indifferent attitude was delaying the execution of the projects.
The central government had committed Rs 1,000 crore for Bulk Drugs Park but when Detailed Project Report (DPR) was prepared, it came to the notice that the state government has to pay Rs 923 crore, Sukhu said and asserted that the government would develop the twin parks on its own conditions and, unlike the BJP government, not allow the interest of the state to be sold.
The total expenditure on the Bulk Drugs Park is estimated at Rs 1923 crore and the Union government has so far released Rs 225 crore while Rs 100 crore has been spent on Medical Device Park and Rs 30 crore has been received from the Centre.
Replying to the main question of Bikram Singh, Industries Minister Harshwardhan Chauhan said the previous BJP government laid the foundation of Bulk Drugs Park but did not complete the formalities and the present government has submitted the documents for environment clearance and hearing would be held in March.
The government was considering options for Bulk Drugs Park which included constructing the project on its own by investing Rs 1,000 crore, entering agreement with some company with 51 per cent equity of the government and PPP mode, he said, adding that the work on the parks was being done in a transparent manner, adhering to guidelines of the Union government.
Revenue Minister Jagat Singh Negi told the House that Rs 78 crore was yet to be paid to fruit growers for purchase of fruits under Market Intervention Scheme (MIS).
Replying to a question from Kuldeep Singh Rathore of the Congress, he said it included Rs 62.29 crore on fruits procured in 2023-24 while the balance of over Rs 15 crore pertains to 2022-23.
He said the practice of selling farm implements in lieu of money is old and it was wrong to say that the HPMC and HIMFED were selling the implements at higher prices as both the procurement agencies have reduced their commission.
Rathore said HPMC and HIMFED owe Rs 39 crore and Rs 22 crore respectively to the growers and wanted to know when the payments would be made. PTI BPL KSS KSS
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