Less foreign direct investment in Khattar govt’s tenure: RTI reply
SINCE 2015, FDI WORTH ONLY ₹133 CR HAS BEEN MADE AS COMPARED TO ₹2,495 CR DURING THE LAST THREE YEARS OF THE PREVIOUS GOVT.
ROHTAK: Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) has slowed down in Haryana during the BJP-led government, a right to information (RTI) query has revealed. Since 2015, FDI worth only ₹133 crore has been made in Haryana by five companies as compared to ₹2,495 crore investment by 26 companies during the last three years of the previous government led by the Congress.
The information shows that the BJP is lagging way behind, even as CM Manohar Lal Khattar-led government has organised multiple large scale programmes to attract investors.
In the RTI filed by Gurugram-based activist Harinder Dhingra, Haryana State Industrial and Infrastructure Development Corporation (HSIIDC) gave information of FDI since 2009 up to present year.
The figures show that ₹1,086 crore investment was made by 12 companies in Haryana between 2009 and 2011; ₹2,495 crore investment between 2012 and 2014, and ₹133 crore investment between 2014 and 2018.
However, the figures show zero investment between 2017 and 2018 in Haryana.
The Khattar government organised events such as Pravasi Haryana Divas and Happening Haryana Summit to attract foreign investments in state. HT had reported earlier how the government had doled out freebies worth crores for NRIs and industrialists to invite investment.
Besides, CM Khattar has also been on five foreign tours to eight countries so far for the purpose of attracting investment. However, the figures show that the state government is far from bringing any significant investment to state when compared to the previous Congress regime.
Talking to HT, activist Dhingra said he had to approach the Haryana State Information Commission (HSIC) to take the information after HSIIDC stonewalled it. “Even after HSIC order directing HSIIDC to provide the information, it was not provided. Then, I had to move a complaint and appeal under Section 18 (3) and 19 of the RTI Act before an HSIC bench got us the informa tion. The government was reluc tant to provide information and now it makes it obvious why,” he said.
HT tried contacting HSIIDC director and director of indus tries and commerce Ashok Sang wan, but got no response. HT also sought a version from industries and commerce minister Vipu Goel, whose personal assistant after hearing the question did not connect through the minister cit ing his busy schedule.
The RTI further showed that in terms of industries that made an investment of more than ₹500 crore in Haryana, only one com pany, Indian Oil Corporation made an investment of ₹1,200 crore during BJP’s tenure. Rest 10 companies, which made an investment of ₹95,620 crore combined, were during Congress regime, between 2005 and 2014.