On October 13, 2022, Prime Minister (PM) Narendra Modi visited Una and Chamba in Himachal Pradesh (HP) to launch a number of development projects and initiatives, with a specific emphasis on connectivity and education.
PM Narendra Modi Laid Foundation Stone for Bulk Drug Park in Una, HP
PM Narendra Modi laid the foundation stone for the Bulk Drug Park in Haroli, Una district, HP, and will be built at a cost of over Rs 1900 crore.
- It would be India’s second bulk drug park, while the foundation stone for India’s first bulk drug park was laid in Bharuch, Gujarat, at an estimated cost of Rs. 2,300 crore.
Along with Gujarat and Andhra Pradesh, Himachal is one of the three states in India to have a bulk drug park.
Dignitaries
Jai Ram Thakur, Chief Minister of HP; Rajendra Vishwanath Arlekar, Governor of HP and Anurag Singh Thakur, Union Minister of Information & Broadcasting.
Key Points:
i.The Bulk Drug Park in HP is expected to bring in investment of over Rs. 10,000 crores and create jobs for more than 20,000 people, boosting the local economy.
ii.Since Himachal Pradesh will now produce the raw materials for manufacturing medicines, India’s dependence on other countries would significantly decrease.
Note: Under the Ayushman Bharat Scheme, the Government of India (GoI) offers free treatment expenses up to Rs. 5 lakh to the poor and needy.
‘Promotion of Bulk Drug Parks’ Scheme
The Scheme for “Promotion of Bulk Drug Parks,” announced in 2020, is aimed at assisting bulk drug manufacturing in India, with a financial outlay of Rs. 3,000 crores.
- Objective: To strengthen the competitiveness of the domestic bulk drug industry by reducing the cost of manufacturing bulk drugs by building world-class common infrastructure facilities with assistance from GoI.
In September 2022, the three states of Himachal Pradesh, Gujarat, and Andhra Pradesh received “in-principle” approval under the Promotion of Bulk Drug Parks scheme, from the Department of Pharmaceuticals, Ministry of Chemicals and Fertilizers.
Key Points:
i.The financial assistance to the proposed Bulk Drug Park in Gujarat and Andhra Pradesh will be 70% of the project cost of common infrastructure facilities.
ii.Himachal Pradesh, being a hilly state, will receive 90% of the project cost in financial aid.
iii.The maximum assistance available under the scheme for one bulk drug park would be Rs. 1000 crores.
Note: Indian pharmaceutical industry is the 3rd-largest in the world in terms of volume.
PM Narendra Modi Dedicated IIIT Una to the Nation in Himachal Pradesh
PM Naredra Modi dedicated the Indian Institute of Information Technology (IIIT), Una, to the country during his visit to Una in HP.
Key Points:
i.In 2017, the PM laid the foundation for the IIIT building.
ii.Currently, the institute is home to more than 530 students.
PM Narendra Modi Flags Off Vande Bharat Express from Una in HP to New Delhi
PM Modi also flagged off the inaugural run of the new Vande Bharat Express, which runs from Amb Andaura, Una, HP to New Delhi, Delhi.
- This will be India’s fourth Vande Bharat train.
Key Points:
i.The new Vande Bharat Express is a modern version from previous models, being lighter and capable of reaching higher speeds in less time.
- It accelerates to 100 Km/h in just 52 seconds.
ii.The train will help enhance tourism in the region and offer a more comfortable and faster way of transportation.
PM Narendra Modi Laid Foundation Stone of Two Hydropower Projects in Chamba, HP
PM Narendra Modi laid the groundwork for 2 hydropower projects in Chamba, HP. They are:
- The 48 MW (megawatt) Chanju-III Hydroelectric Project
- The 30 MW Deothal Chanju Hydroelectric Project
Both of these projects will generate over 270 million units of power per year.
- These projects are anticipated to bring in about Rs. 110 crore in annual revenue for HP.
Accomplishments of Chamba District, HP:
i.Chamba is one of India’s 112 Aspirational Districts (Backward Districts).
ii.It is also part of the Aspirational District Programme led by the NITI Aayog (National Institution for Transforming India) in regions where people live in poverty.
iii.Chamba came in second in the Aspirational Districts development ranking.
iv.To emphasise its commitment to tribal community development, the Government of India has granted tribal status to the Hati community of the Giripar area of Sirmaur district in HP.
PM Narendra Modi launched Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana – III
PM Narendra Modi launched the Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana (PMGSY)-III, a rural road initiative, to upgrade 3,125 km of rural roads in HP.
- Under the PMGSY-III phase, the GoI has approved more than Rs. 420 crore for the upgrading of 440 km of rural roads in 15 border and remote blocks of the state.
- Since 2014, the GoI has constructed 12,000 kilometres of rural roads in HP.
Note: The “Har Ghar Jal Yojna” has provided 100% water coverage in the tribal regions of Lahaul-Spiti and Kinnaur in HP.
Recent Related News:
The Government of India (GoI) and the Asian Development Bank (ADB) signed a USD 96.3 million (around Rs. 769 crores) loan agreement to provide safe drinking water, improve water supply and sanitation in Himachal Pradesh (HP).
About the Ministry of Chemicals and Fertilizers:
Union Minister– Mansukh Mandaviya (Rajya Sabha – Gujarat)
Minister of State (MoS)– Bhagwanth Khuba
