What is your stand on special industrial package: MP to CM

Ludhiana MP Manish Tewari has urged Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal and the state Bhartiya Janata Party leadership to spell out their stand on the issue of extension of special industrial package to Himachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand.

The extension of special package has proved detrimental to interests of the two industrialised states of Punjab and Haryana,which are vigorously opposing it. Referring to the meeting of a high-level BJP delegation,led by senior leader LK Advani and comprising Arun Jaitely,Sushma Swaraj and chief ministers Prem Kumar Dhumal and Ramesh Pokhriyal,on Wednesday,Tewari said on Thursday that the people of Punjab wanted to know Badal’s stand on the issue. Badal’s party Shiromani Akali Dal is a constituent party of the National Democratic Alliance and is sharing power with the BJP in Punjab.

The Ludhiana MP said the special package,which was extended to the two states by the NDA government,has wreaked havoc on the industry and economy of Punjab. The package finally expired on April 1,2010. Under this package,special exemptions and tax holidays were granted to states. A lot of industrial houses then shifted to HP and Uttrakhand,putting Punjab at a disadvantage.