Himachal Pradesh Industrial Investment Policy

Himachal Pradesh, owing to its vast area of land and other striking geographical features, is endowed with natural resources suitable for industrial and other business opportunities. The Industrial Investment Policy was launched in September 2019 to improve the industry sector, especially

MSMEs in the state, through incentives and special attention. Various business opportunities are available to all-scale industry sectors and single entrepreneurs in the present period of an upward trend in investments, with the core economic strength on business activities related to:

Agriculture
Horticulture
Animal Husbandry
Limestone mines and other related activities in the primary sector

Besides, industries (anchor industries) that have been running for a very long time also have the opportunity to access State Government incentive benefits in a way to ensure financial prosperity and more employment opportunities to the local people.

Vision

To create an ecosystem compatible with industries
To improve and increase the scale of economic development
To provide more employment opportunities
To ensure sustainable development & balanced growth of industrial & service sectors

Objectives

To promote ease of doing business (EODB) through digital facility and self-certification
To serve as a standard for creating a friendly-investment climate for existing industries to prosper
To attract new investments in the state to create more job opportunities for young people, while keeping the development of Industrial & Service Sector in mind
To simplify the procedures related to infrastructures, human resource, access to market
To improve food industry sectors, agriculture, and horticulture in a way to ensure rural prosperity
To cater to MSME sectors for job opportunities and financial growth across the state and benefit stakeholders
To encourage start-ups and entrepreneurship to create and generate local businesses
To encourage large investments to expand the scale of economic development, employment opportunities, revenue generation, and remunerative prices to local resources
To improve the lifestyle of weaker sections of society

Strategy of the Policy

To make rules and regulations easy by introducing self-certification, clearances in a timely manner to ensure EODB through the digital facility
To create and upgrade of existing industrial infrastructures
To create a private land bank
To make allowances for incentives and concessions for industries for economic development. This purpose is for the benefit of the majority of H.P natives to achieve economic prosperity.
To create a favorable environment for:
- Start-ups
- Sustaining traditional cottage industries
- Technological improvement
- Recovering from industrial weakness
- Promoting Research and Development
- Industrial productivity
To create awareness by giving importance to:
- Cottage handloom and handicraft industries
- Rural-based economic sectors like - Food processing, Agriculture, and Horticulture
- Tourism
To create an awareness of a clean environment among industries that causes pollution. To insist and encourage industries to go for pollution-free technologies.

Positive Aspects of Investments in Himachal

Regardless of the rough geographical pattern, many investors are enticed because of positive factors like:

Low-cost quality power
Harmonious industrial relations
Low cost of land
Clean environment
Investor-friendly administration
Attractive incentives
Tax concessions
Accessibility to northern markets of India

Eligibility for Availing Incentives

Industrial sectors that eligible for incentives are:
- All New Industrial Enterprises
- New Enterprises involved in “Specified Category of Service Activities”
- All Existing Industrial Enterprises opting for Substantial Expansion
- All Existing Service Enterprises involved in “Specified Category of Service Activities” opting for Substantial Expansion
The aforementioned categories of industries are eligible provided:
1. 1. Requirements are met with respect to the eligibility criteria & conditions as per the Rules regarding Grant of Incentives, Concessions & Facilities to Industrial & Service Enterprises in Himachal Pradesh, 2019
  2. Employment is given directly by industries to a minimum of 80% people of Himachal native of all social backgrounds on a regular, contractual-based, etc. (OR)
  3. Employment is given to 80% of Himachal natives through “contractors” or “outsourcing agencies” at the time of initiating commercial operations (or) during commercial services by the new enterprises established under this policy.
  4. Additional employment is given to at least 80% of Himachal natives by existing enterprises involved in the substantial expansion.
Incentives are effected from the day of commencement of industrial operations (OR) from the date of permission given by the relevant or concerned department to incentivize eligible industries.

Incentives for Small and Medium Enterprises (MSME) and Large scale units

MSME companies (in the case manufacturing enterprises) investing an amount of up to Rs.10 Crore in building plant and machinery in the case of

(OR)

MSME companies (in the case of a specified category of service enterprise) investing an amount of up to Rs.5 Crore in instruments would be granted to avail financial benefits by the State Government. They are:

- subsidy towards the cost of preparation of detailed project report & obtaining certification
- Incentives related to land and industrial sheds
  - Allotment of land and Industrial Sheds
  - Easy Payment schedule of land or shed premium
  - Provisions of extension in the provisional allotment period
  - Provision to rent out surplus built-up area for industrial use
- Incentives pertaining to land matters
  - Concessional rate on Stamp Duty and registration fee
  - Exemption from Land Use charges
- Interest is given as a support by the State Government
- Assistance for transportation of Plant & Machinery
- Providing transport subsidy
- Assistance for the testing facility and quality certification
- Assistance for set-up pertaining to water conservation, effluent treatment plant, and electrical power supply in compliance with Environment, Health and Safety Standards
- Net SGST payback
- Purchase Preference provided an item is not sophisticated, of high technology, and precision standards
- Incentives also availed to those who come under “special category entrepreneurs” are:

- - Scheduled Castes
  - Scheduled Tribes
  - Below Poverty Line families
  - Women
  - ex-serviceman
  - people with disabilities
  - People affected by HIV/AIDS
- single person enterprise run by the aforementioned category of people

Incentives for Anchor Enterprises

Anchor enterprises are those that are:

First Industrial Enterprise established in an Industrial Area
Invested with a Fixed Capital of more than Rs.200 Crore
Providing jobs to more than 200 Himachal native on a regular basis.
Incentives in the form of concession are provided to enterprises with the rate or premium fixed applicable for:
- 50%for Industrially developed lands
- 60%for Industrially developing lands, and
- 75% for Tribal areas, Industrially undeveloped sectors & panchayats
These concessionary rates are given to enterprises if they began their operations within 3 years of handing over of possessed Such enterprises are granted for easy payment of land premium like MSME industries.
Repayment of Net SGST that was paid to the P. Government as per H.P. GST Act, 2017, for 7 years up to a maximum of 80% of Fixed Capital Investment.
Stamp Duty & Registration fee pertaining to conveyance deed or lease deed at the rate of:
- 50% for Industrially developed lands
- 30% for Industrially developing lands, and
- 20% for Tribal areas, Industrially undeveloped sectors & panchayats
Entire costs are reimbursed in the form of incentives for a period of 5 years with reference to the transportation of raw materials and finished goods (within or out of H.P.), the actual expense rate incurred at 5% of the annual income of Rs.30 lakh per year.

Other Incentives

Assistance for Patent Filing and use of green fuel
Incentives to EOUs for Promotion of Export
Approval of industry infrastructure plan
Concessional rate of electricity charges
Incentive, concessions, and facilities for creation and upgradation of Industrial Infrastructure by private investors
Incentives for Handloom and Handicrafts

List of Specified Category of Service Activities

Information Technology/Information Technology Enabled Services, BPO
Warehouse
Marketing Yard for Fruits & Vegetables Products
Reefer Vehicle
Instant Quick Freezing and Irradiation Facilities
Ripening Chambers
Cold Chain Facility
Equipment/Vehicle Maintenance, Repair, and Overhaul (MRO)
Equipment Rental and Leasing
Industrial R&D Labs, Industrial Testing Lab
Laboratories associated with Testing of Raw Materials, Finished Products
Weigh Bridge
Designs studio
Battery Charging Stations for Electric Vehicles
Packaging activities
Laundry Services
Desktop Publishing
Research and Development/Industrial Testing Facilities
Photographic Lab
EDP Institute Established by Voluntary Associations/NGO’s
Event Management and Audio Visual Services

List of negative-listed industries in the State

Industries categorized under negative list are not eligible to set up in the state. They are:

Tobacco and Tobacco Products like Cigarettes and Pan Masala
Thermal Power Plant (Coal/Oil-based)
Coal Washeries/Dry Coal Processing
Tanning and Dyeing extracts, tannins and their derivatives, Dyes, Colours, Paints and Varnishes, Putty, Fillers and other Mastics, Inks
Foundries using Coal
Minerals Fuels, Mineral Oils, and Products of their Distillation; Bituminous Substances, Mineral Waxes
Cement Clinker and Asbestos Raw, including Fibre.
Explosive (including Industrial explosives, detonators & fuses, Fireworks, Matches, Propellant Powders, etc.)
Mineral or Chemical Fertilizers
Insecticides, Fungicides, Herbicides & Pesticides (basic Manufacture and Formulation)
Manufacture of Pulp-Wood Pulp
Production of Firewood and Charcoal

Contact Information

Department of Industries Location: Udyog Bhawan, Bemloe, Shimla-171001, Himachal Pradesh Email: investments@risinghimachal.in Call: +91177-2813414 HP Investment Cell: +91177-2622059 Confederation of Indian Industry Confederation of Indian Industry, Room # 105 Directorate of Industries Udyog Bhawan, Bemloe, Shimla – 171002 Email: cii.hp@cii.in, manilokeshwar.chauhan@cii.in Call: +91177-2654323, +91172-5022522 More details on the Himachal Pradesh Industrial Investment Policy can be accessed from the below:

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Frequently Asked Questions

Common questions about Himachal Pradesh Industrial Investment Policy 2019.

The Himachal Pradesh Industrial Investment Policy is a policy launched in September 2019 by the Government of Himachal Pradesh to promote industrial growth and development in the state, with a special focus on MSMEs. It aims to create an ecosystem conducive for industries, improve economic development, provide employment opportunities, and ensure sustainable and balanced growth of industrial and service sectors.

The key objectives of the policy are to promote ease of doing business through digital facilities and self-certification, create a friendly investment climate for existing industries, attract new investments to generate employment, simplify procedures related to infrastructure and resources, improve food industry sectors, cater to MSMEs, encourage startups and entrepreneurship, promote large investments, and improve the lifestyle of weaker sections of society.

The policy's strategy includes simplifying rules and regulations, creating and upgrading industrial infrastructure, establishing a private land bank, providing incentives and concessions for economic development, creating a favorable environment for startups, traditional industries, technological improvement, and R&D, promoting rural-based sectors like food processing, agriculture, and horticulture, and encouraging environmentally friendly and pollution-free technologies.

The industries eligible for incentives under the policy include all new industrial enterprises, new enterprises involved in specified service activities, existing industrial enterprises opting for substantial expansion, and existing service enterprises involved in specified service activities opting for substantial expansion, provided they meet the eligibility criteria and conditions outlined in the policy.

MSMEs investing up to Rs.10 crore (for manufacturing) or Rs.5 crore (for specified services) are eligible for incentives such as subsidies for project reports, assistance for land and industrial sheds, concessional rates on stamp duty and registration fees, interest support, transportation subsidies, testing and quality certification assistance, net SGST reimbursement, and purchase preference. Large-scale units or anchor enterprises are also eligible for concessions on land premium rates, SGST reimbursement, stamp duty and registration fee concessions, and transportation cost reimbursement.

Other incentives provided under the policy include assistance for patent filing and use of green fuel, incentives for Export Oriented Units (EOUs), approval of industry infrastructure plans, concessional rates for electricity charges, incentives and concessions for creation and upgradation of industrial infrastructure by private investors, and incentives for the handloom and handicrafts sector.

The specified categories of service activities covered under the policy include information technology/IT-enabled services, BPO, warehousing, marketing yards for fruits and vegetables, reefer vehicles, quick freezing and irradiation facilities, ripening chambers, cold chain facilities, equipment maintenance and repair, equipment rental and leasing, industrial R&D labs and testing labs, weigh bridges, design studios, battery charging stations for electric vehicles, packaging activities, laundry services, desktop publishing, photographic labs, EDP institutes, and event management and audio-visual services.

Yes, the policy has a list of negative-listed industries that are not eligible to set up in the state. These include tobacco and tobacco products, thermal power plants (coal/oil-based), coal washeries, tanning and dyeing industries, foundries using coal, mineral fuels and oils, cement clinker and asbestos, explosives, mineral or chemical fertilizers, insecticides and pesticides, pulp-wood production, and firewood and charcoal production.

More details about the Himachal Pradesh Industrial Investment Policy can be accessed from the Department of Industries, Government of Himachal Pradesh, located at Udyog Bhawan, Bemloe, Shimla-171001. You can also contact the HP Investment Cell or the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) office in Shimla for further information.

To be eligible for incentives under the policy, industries must meet the requirements and conditions outlined in the Rules regarding Grant of Incentives, Concessions & Facilities to Industrial & Service Enterprises in Himachal Pradesh, 2019. Additionally, they must provide employment to at least 80% of Himachal natives, either directly or through contractors/outsourcing agencies, and incentives are effective from the commencement of industrial operations or the date of permission from the relevant department.