'No proposal to amend Section 118'

Chief minister Virbhadra Singh said on Monday that there was no proposal to amend Section 118 of the Himachal Pradesh Tenancy and Land Reforms Act (HPTLRA), 1972, and the government only intended to simplify the procedure for sale of industrial units in the state by industrialists from outside the state.

Chief minister Virbhadra Singh said on Monday that there was no proposal to amend Section 118 of the Himachal Pradesh Tenancy and Land Reforms Act (HPTLRA), 1972, and the government only intended to simplify the procedure for sale of industrial units in the state by industrialists from outside the state.

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"We are simplifying the provisions so that the industry can function freely in the state," he said. He informed that industrialists wanting to purchase land in the state should obtain permission. However, prior permission would not be required for the sale of land in the state, he said.

Section 118 of the Act had been the subject of controversy for a while now as the provisions incorporated in 2011 were unclear to most industrialists. Section 118 of the Act included a clause regulating the purchase of a land by 'other eminent person' without defined what the 'other eminent person' meant.

On the subject of employment, the chief minister said the government would create more jobs in the industry, as it was committed to ensuring people's welfare.

When asked about investor confidence in the state, Singh said the presence of 99 percent of industries in the state reflected the faith that investors had in the state, despite the government withdrawing the special industrial package due to opposition from Punjab and Haryana.