The Himachal Pradesh government, on Monday, cleared 14 new proposals for setting up industrial units with an investment of nearly Rs 233.36 crore, but ordered the withdrawal of sanction from 126 others as the promoters had failed to show any progress. The decision was taken at a meeting of the state-level single-window authority headed by Chief Minister Prem Kumar Dhumal.

In all, there were about 31 proposals submitted for approval. Of these, only 14 were cleared, with a strict advisory to promoters to take steps for installation of pollution control and effluent treatment facilities to the satisfaction of the State Pollution Control Board.

The government made it clear that it will not encourage industrial units that have set their eye on cashing upon incentives or are not environment-friendly.

The proposals cleared in today’s meeting included pharmaceutical companies and multi-nationals. M/s Proctor and Gamble’s proposal to set up a Rs 32-crore unit for manufacture of skincare products at Baddi was among those cleared.

A clear signal was sent out that the government will act strictly with investors who have obtained approval and even bought land, but subsequently disappeared from the scene.

“In the case of 43 parties, where notices have returned undelivered, and 99 others, which have not responded to the notices, the approvals have been withdrawn. The power supply which was committed to these units will now be made available to those units where

promoters have shown tangible progress,” said a

senior Industries Department official.

These units included induction furnaces and rolling mills. Most of these defaulting units were proposed for Kala Amb, Paonta Sahib, Talliwala, Gagret and Goalthai in Bilaspur.

Speaking at the meeting, Dhumal said Himachal Pradesh has taken up the issue with the Centre for extending the industrial package up to 2013, as was originally proposed. He rejected the charges of adjoining states about migration of industry from any of the states opposing the package.

The Chief Minister said the revised industrial policy was being implemented in letter and spirit, wherein a minimum of 70 per cent employment to local people at all levels was being ensured.

He said the state had the best literacy rate and had no dearth of professionally competent people who could successfully work in the industries.