Commerce and Industry Minister Anand Sharma, who was here last month, said that the central government's focus would be on setting up agro- and fruit-based processing units and tourism projects in the hill state. He said strengthening infrastructure, including roads construction, would also be the priority area in the state.

Himachal Pradesh has 38 industrial areas and 15 industrial estates.

The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) government has cleared more than 1,500 industrial proposals worth around Rs.10,000 crore (Rs.100 billion) in the past 18 months.