Shimla, Feb 6 (IANS) The Himachal Pradesh economy is expected to remain at 6.2 percent this fiscal, comparatively better than the national growth rate, Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh said Thursday.
In the last fiscal the state, whose economy is highly dependent on hydroelectric power, horticulture and tourism, was 6.1 percent, Virbhadra Singh said quoting the state’s economic survey that was tabled in the assembly.
“The per capita income is estimated at Rs.92,300 for 2013-14,” said the chief minister who also holds the finance portfolio.
He said the growth rate during the Eleventh Plan from 2007-12 has been the same both for the state and the all-India, which is 8 percent.
He said the state had achieved a growth rate of 7.4 percent in 2008-09, which reached 8.1 percent in 2009-10 and is likely to grow by 9 percent in 2010-11.
The increase in the total state domestic product is mainly attributed to 9.5 percent growth of primary sector that included agriculture, forestry and mining.
During 2012-13, food-grain production registered a rise of 1.6 percent against the previous year. It was 15.68 lakh tonnes in 2012-13 and in this fiscal it is pegged at 15.16 lakh tonnes, the survey said.
Fruit production was 8.28 lakh tonnes in 2013-14 (up to December 2013) against 5.56 lakh tonnes in 2012-13.
“Apple constitutes about 89 percent of the total fruit production. During 2013-14 (up to December 2013), 7.39 lakh tonnes of apples were produced against 4.12 lakh tonnes in 2012-13,” the report said.
There are 494 medium and large-scale industries and 39,819 small scale industries with an investment of Rs.17,39,89 crore in the state.
Himachal Pradesh’s hydropower generation potential is 23,000 MW – about 25 percent of country’s total hydropower potential. However, only 8,432 MW of power has been tapped till December last year, which is 36 percent of the total potential.
Also, according to the report, Himachal Pradesh attracted 161.46 lakh tourists in 2012. Shimla district emerged as state’s preferred destination, both for domestic and international guests, by getting the maximum 3,354,003 tourists.
The hill state, said the report, has 63 helipads. “There is a proposal to construct two new helipads, one at Kalabag near Churdhar in Sirmaur district and another at Sanjauli in Shimla,” it said.