By Our Staff Reporter
New Delhi, 7 July: Senior BJP leaders led by former Deputy Prime Minister LK Advani, the Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha, Sushma Swaraj, Leader of the Opposition in the Rajya Sabha, Arun Jaitley, and Chief Ministers of Uttarakhand and Himachal Pradesh, Ramesh Pokhriyal Nishank and Prem Dhumal, respectively, called on Prime Minster Manmohan Singh here today. They submitted a memorandum demanding extension of the special industrial package to Uttarakhand and Himachal Pradesh.
"We met the Prime Minister and requested him to restore the industrial packages extended to Himachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand," Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha Sushma Swaraj informed the media persons here.
She also made it clear that no new demand was made except the restoration of the industrial package that had been withdrawn     in the past.
The original package was granted by the then Atal Bihari Vajpayee led NDA Government till the year 2013. However, the period of concessions was at first reduced till 2007 and then extended till the year 2010.
According to an official release by the Uttarakhand Government, Nishank described the reduction of package as unfair and unjust. “It is perhaps the first time that a Union Government has withdrawn any package granted by a previous Government before the expiry. He said that at the least the Union Government could have restored the package till the original period (Year 2013), if it was not possible to extend the package beyond the year 2013.
Nishank further asserted that the withdrawal of the industrial package was likely to affect the possibilities of employment to thousands of youths. The process of migration could gain fresh momentum after the withdrawal of the package. This was particularly tragic and strategically wrong with regard to a state that had its border along two countries.
A similar package was introduced for the North-East in 1987 and was extended for another ten years in 2007. It still continued for Jammu & Kashmir, the delegation reminded the PM. The memorandum submitted to the PM demanded extension of the industrial package till the year 2013 as had been originally planned.
The memorandum further mentioned that in view of the special geographical conditions in Uttarakhand and Himachal Pradesh, it was imperative to extend the package to both the hill states. It was unjust and unfair that the concessions were withdrawn well before the time. It was further mentioned that the CMs of both the states had met the PM, Finance Minister and the Commerce Minister on several occasions to demand the extension of the special industrial package for both the states.
The memorandum further reminded that both the states had formulated their industrial policies taking in view the special industrial package and now that it had been withdrawn, development work in both the states would be adversely affected.

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