Shimla: Six cement factories would be set up in Himachal Pradesh at an investment of Rs 4,781.97 crore, producing 20 lakh tonnes annually, which would be 15 per cent of the total production in the country, Chief Minister Prem Kumar Dhumal said on Saturday .

Laying the foundation stone of second unit of Gujarat Ambuja Cement Ltd at Rauri in Solan district, Mr Dhumal said the plant to be built at an estimated cost of Rs 864 crore with installed capacity of 1.8 metric tonnes would generate employment for 494 persons.

He said the State would extend all possible help to entrepreneurs for setting up units. These would keep in mind the ecology and honour the employment policy in the state, he said.

The Chief Minister said that JP Associates would also set up cement factories at Bagga-Bhalog at a cost of Rs 760 crore, generating employment for 660 persons, and a Chamba unit would be set up at a cost of Rs 800 crore and provide employment for 600.

Others setting up plants are Harish Cements, which would invest Rs 700 crore in its Sundernagar Plant and employ 350 persons at Chopal and another plant coming up at Karsog at a cost of Rs 909 crore and employing 288 persons, the Chief Minister said.

Mr. Dhumal said the State Government had been asking the Centre and neighbouring states to grant its share in all the joint venture projects.

The Chief Minister claimed the State had not been granted any money to rehabilitate the families who offered their land for construction of Bhakra and Pong Dam Projects.

Earlier, Ambuja Cement Chairman Suresh Neotia presented a draft of Rs one crore to the Chief Minister’s Relief Fund. PTI

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