Industries, Labour and Employment minister Bikram Singh on Monday hailed the state Budget 2018-19 presented by Chief Minister Jai Ram Thakur and termed it as a blue print of reforms and economic transformation of Himachal Pradesh.

Singh said the budget embraces all sections of society and makes them equal stakeholders in the progress of the state.

“The budget is an embodiment of the hopes of the youth because many schemes for employment generation,” he said.

Lauding the decision for simplifications of various procedures for increasing investments, Industries minister said the announcement to launch ‘Him Pragti’ an online monitoring system would prove an effective tool to monitor investment and infrastructure progress.

Further, the budget provision of Rs 35 Crore for Baddi Brotiwala Nalagarh Development Authority and Rs 4 Crore for widening of road between Barotiwala-Mandhala-Parwanoo and Barotiwala-Gunnai-Parwanoo would go a long way in providing a better infrastructure to the industrialists in industrial area of Baddi, Brotiwala and Nalagarh.

He thanked the CM for announcing increasing the lease period of land for industrial plots to 90 years from existing 30 years as this would instill confidence potential entrepreneurs to invest in the state.

“The decision to reduce Electricity Duty from 4 per cent to 2 per cent on
Small industries and 10 per cent to 7 per cent on medium industries was also a welcome step as it would also help in fast industrialisation,” he said.

Singh said the budget also contain various schemes for youth welfare as Mukhya Mantri Swavlamban Yojna and Mukhya Mantri Yuva Ajivika Yojna for providing self-employment to Himachali youth.

Further, the entrepreneurship development programmes announced in the budget would stimulate entrepreneurship among youth.

He said the budget provides a strategy for improving the economy of farmers and horticulturists and demonstrates strengthening of measures to increase investments.

“The budget not only shows the direction towards which our developmental agenda would move, but also ensures all around development of all sections of the society,” he said.