HARYANA POTENTIAL FOR INVESTORS

After the MNCs were given the passport to be able to reap the utilitarian gains from the Indian market (through The New Industrial Policy of 2005), the proposal to set up 92 SEZs and investing almost 2 lakh crore into Haryana, is on the cards.

The location advantages, plus a good infrastructure, valued with an investor friendly climate, a pollution free environment and good living conditions (including clean law and order situations) have been the reasons to make Haryana become a sugary-syrup to attract ‘sweet gain’ companies. Perhaps being the reason for Reliance Industries and Limited to invest Rs. 40,000 crore all over Haryana & Unitech to invest Rs. 22,000 crore in Kundli. DLF on the other hand invests Rs. 26,000 crore in Gurgaon and Rs. 1950 crore in Ambala. But most of all, Reliance in collaboration with HSIIDC plans to establish a mega special economic zone using 25,000 acres of land in Gurgaon and Jhajjar districts giving employment to more than 20 lakh people.

Haryana being a home to some of the biggest company names among multinational companies like- Mitsubishi, Suzuki, Honda, GM, Skoda etc, no wonder Haryana has more than 50 per cent share in manufacturing passenger cars and two wheelers. These MNCs also manufacture almost 25 per cent of the overall three wheelers, tractors and trucks produced in India. Though companies such as ABB, Siemens, Nestle, Smithkline, JCB, Coca-Cola, Pepsi etc have been able to inflect the consumption pattern by literally foeticiding local brands- the LPG policy still helps in accumulating foreign exchange.

Mr. Birender Singh, the finance minister of Haryana, informed FE, that up till the end of the fiscal year of 2007-2008, 27 SEZ proposals were received with an investment of Rs. 33,762 crores. He added that inspite of all this HSIIDC has been designated as the nodal agency for development and infrastructure. However, it is in news to know that the corporation has acquired about 20,000 acres of land for the development of industrial estates, parks, new economic hubs, mega petrochemical hubs etc. Economic hubs on the Kundli-Maneswar-Palwal expressway are under implementation. Inspite of the Congress as the ruling Govt ‘the Hooda vs. the Bhajan Lal’ faction and the power shortage continue to create instabilities. Yet, according to the investors- Haryana is still the most ideal place to invest into.

***Written as a report in Financial Express (though it wasnt published)
dIKSHA gROVER