By: ML Sharma
Shimla: Union minister of commerce and industry Anand Sharma would visit the industrial township of Baddi and Kasuli in Solan district and Shimla on May 8, where he is expected to make public some important decisions of the Union government regarding the industrial package or similar other package to the hill state.
On condition of anonymity, a highly placed source in the union government told HimVani that Sharma is expected to announce some good news for this state after the Center refused to extend the industrial package to Himachal. He said that Sharma is expected to either declare extension of special package till 2013 or he might announce similar other package to benefit the industrially backward state.
Sharma’s visit to the state is being viewed in coherence with BJP national president Nitin Gadkari’s coming visit, which also beings from May 8 to May 10. During his visit, Sharma is also expected to counter the anti-UPA stance of the state government following withdrawal of industrial package.
The state BJP government has been protesting against Himachal being denied extension of package at a time when Jammu and Kashmir, ruled by a Congress-supported government, was given an extension. The state Congress is also supporting the BJP government for extension of the industrial package. In order to garner support from its party workers, Congress is also organizing a function on May 9 at the Congress office in the evening to highlight policies of the UPA government.
