SHIMLA: The Himachal Pradesh government has submitted proposals for two industrial parks worth Rs 234 crore to the Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT) under the Bharat Audyogik Vikas Yojna, a Central scheme aimed at building world-class industrial parks across India.

These initiatives would further strengthen Himachal’s industrial ecosystem, facilitate ease of doing business and contribute significantly to employment generation and economic growth, officials said on Saturday.

The first proposal envisages the development of a plug-and-play industrial park spread over 150 acres in the Majholi Industrial Area in Solan district, with an estimated project cost of Rs 154 crore, an official statement said.

The second proposal has been submitted for the development of a plug-and-play industrial park spread over 75 acres in the Beetan Industrial Area in Una district, with an estimated cost of Rs 80 crore. The proposed park is strategically located in proximity to the upcoming Bulk Drug Park at Haroli, Una, and is expected to serve as a key support ecosystem to it, the statement said.

The Bharat Audyogik Vikas Yojna (BHAVYA) seeks to create investment-ready industrial ecosystems equipped with world-class infrastructure, multimodal connectivity, reliable utilities, digital governance systems, sustainability features and worker-support amenities through a competitive challenge-based selection process, officials said.

Under the scheme, the approved projects are eligible for Central assistance at the rate of Rs 1 crore per acre. The DPIIT had invited applications for the first phase of 20 industrial parks under BHAVYA on or before July 31.

The sanctioned projects under the scheme would be implemented jointly by the state government and the National Industrial Corridor Development Corporation (NICDC).

Himachal Industries Minister Harshwardhan Chauhan said the state government is committed to creating robust industrial infrastructure that supports sustainable economic growth, attracts quality investments and generates large-scale employment opportunities for the youth.

Principal Secretary (Industries), M Sudha, said that besides these two proposals, the Department of Industries is also in the process of identifying additional land parcels across the state for the development of industrial areas with modern plug-and-play infrastructure.