Himachal cabinet nod for biotech park in PPP mode

By: Ravinder Makhaik

Shimla:The Himachal cabinet granted permission for developing a biotechnology park at Nalagarh in Solan district under the PPP (Public Private Partnership) mode that would entail an investment of Rs 200 crore.

Presided over by chief minister Prem Kumar Dhumal the biotech park would consist of a incubation centre and a biotechnology industrial cluster to be developed by a private promoter over an 32 acre area.

Other decisions taken by the cabinet include approving the Implementation Agreement (IA) for Small Hydro Electric Projects of upto 5 MW capacity and gave its nod for a revised time schedule to achieve various milestones for projects of over 5 MW capacity by the Independent Power Producers (IPPs).

Some of the revised time schedules include that Implementation Agreement would have to be signed within two months of the submission of the Detailed Project Report (DPR), whereas the DPR has to be submitted within 30 months from the date of Project Implementation Agreement (PIA).

However for projects coming up in Lahaul Spiti district the time for submitting DPR has been relaxed to 36 months after signing of PIA.

The techno-economic clearance (TEC) would have to be obtained within 18 months of the signing of IA and the construction work would have to be started within 24 months from the date of signing of IA that is extendable to 30 months, if extension obtaining TEC has been allowed.

By approving an amendment in Himachal Pradesh Motor Vehicles Rules, 1999, Rule-69-B the cabinet fixed Special Registration Fee for choice vehicle numbers.

While number 0001 registration mark would be available on payment of Rs. 75,000, 0002 to 0009 would have an payment of Rs. 50,000, 0010 to 0100 choice number on payment of Rs 35,000 and 0101 to 9999 on payment of Rs. 20,000, said a cabinet spokesman.

The cabinet also granted permission to fill up 25 posts of Forest Range Officers on contract basis.