Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu chaired a review meeting of the state's Industry Department in Shimla on Thursday, 9 July 2026, announcing that the state government is finalising a new industrial policy to be notified shortly. The policy is designed to attract investment, generate employment for youth, and strengthen ease of doing business across the state.

Posting on X, CM Sukhu stated: 'राज्य सरकार नई औद्योगिक नीति को अंतिम रूप दे रही है, जिसे शीघ्र अधिसूचित किया जाएगा' ('The state government is finalising the new industrial policy, which will be notified soon'). He added that the policy will help promote investment, create new employment opportunities for youth, and further strengthen ease of doing business in the state.

Context

The review meeting assessed the progress of two flagship infrastructure projects: the Bulk Drug Park in Una and the Unity Mall in Dharamshala, both of which are at active stages of development. Industry Minister Harshvardhan Chauhan and other senior officials were present at the meeting. The Chief Minister reviewed the construction status of both projects and issued specific operational directives to department officers.

Policy Backdrop

The Bulk Drug Park in Una is part of the central government's scheme to reduce India's dependence on imported active pharmaceutical ingredients (APIs), under which three such parks were approved nationally in 2021. Himachal Pradesh's park is positioned to integrate into the broader Atmanirbhar Bharat push for domestic pharmaceutical manufacturing. The state's previous industrial policy framework dates to 2019, making the upcoming revision a significant update to the investment landscape.

The Unity Mall in Dharamshala is a retail and tourism infrastructure project under construction, aimed at showcasing locally produced goods. The first instalment of Rs 66 crore for the project has already been released, according to the Chief Minister's post. The meeting also covered the 'One District, Three Products' initiative, a state-level adaptation of the central One District One Product scheme launched nationally in 2018, under which each district identifies key products for promotion and export.

Key Directives Issued

CM Sukhu outlined four specific instructions to officials emerging from the review. Prominent national companies are to be invited to invest in the Bulk Drug Park, Una. The Common Effluent Treatment Plant and Steam Generation facility at the park must be completed by 15 July. Work on the Unity Mall, Dharamshala is to be accelerated. Additionally, product identification under the 'One District, Three Products' framework is to be ensured across all districts. The Bulk Drug Park is projected to generate large-scale employment in the state.

Stakeholders and Impact

The primary beneficiaries of the new industrial policy and these projects are Himachal Pradesh's youth seeking employment, pharmaceutical companies looking to establish API manufacturing capacity, and district-level MSMEs whose products could gain visibility through the Unity Mall and the One District framework. The pharma sector in particular stands to benefit from the infrastructure being built at Una, which is intended to attract investment from established national players. Local artisans and producers in Dharamshala and surrounding districts are expected to gain a dedicated retail platform once the Unity Mall is operational.

What's Next

The immediate milestones to watch are the formal notification of the new industrial policy and the completion of the Common Effluent Treatment Plant and Steam Generation facility at the Bulk Drug Park, Una by 15 July. The selection of national companies for investment in the park will be a key indicator of the project's momentum. Progress on the Unity Mall, Dharamshala construction and the finalisation of product lists under the 'One District, Three Products' scheme will also be closely tracked by investors and industry stakeholders in the state.