Himachal all party delegation to call on PM

New Delhi, Apr 2 (ANI): An all party delegation from Himachal Pradesh, led by Chief Minister Prem Kumar Dhumal, will meet Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on Friday to press for the restoration of a special industrial package that lapsed on March 31.

In 2003, the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) Government announced a special industrial package for Himachal Pradesh, Uttrakhand and Jammu and Kashmir, for ten years.

The package was scheduled to complete its term in March 31, 2013, but the United Progressive Alliance (UPA) Government reduced it to 2010.

In a statement, Dhumal said the State Government has been repeatedly requesting the Union Government to restore the package to its original period.

"In the history of the country, the Centre has never withdrawn any package announced by it for any of the states," Dhumal said.

Earlier, the Himachal Pradesh Legislative Assembly had passed a resolution urging the Centre to immediately restore the package and extend the same upto year 2020 to compensate for the uncertainity created and the loss of industrial investments caused to the State due to a reduction of the package period.

Dhumal expressed unhappiness over the UPA Government penalizing both states. (ANI)