Anurag Thakur: Congress opposed Haroli Bulk Drug Park from day one
Synopsis
BJP MP Anurag Thakur has accused Congress of opposing the proposed Bulk Drug Park at Haroli in Una, Himachal Pradesh, since its very inception — a central scheme aimed at boosting domestic API manufacturing under the Atmanirbhar Bharat initiative.
Key Takeaways
BJP MP Anurag Thakur posted on October 23, 2026 alleging Congress has opposed the Haroli Bulk Drug Park in Una, Himachal Pradesh from the beginning.
The Bulk Drug Parks scheme was approved by the Union Cabinet in March 2020 to boost domestic Active Pharmaceutical Ingredient (API) manufacturing.
Haroli in Una district is Himachal Pradesh's designated location under the national programme.
The scheme is part of the broader Atmanirbhar Bharat push to reduce India's dependence on API imports.
Land acquisition progress and state-government facilitation remain the critical factors for the park's timeline.
A central pharmaceutical infrastructure project anchored in Una district, Himachal Pradesh has once again become a flashpoint in state politics. BJP MP Anurag Thakur, speaking from Una on Friday, October 23, 2026, accused Congress of opposing the proposed Bulk Drug Park at Haroli right from its inception — framing the resistance as a pattern, not a one-off objection.
Thakur's post in Hindi states plainly: 'कांग्रेस ने हिमाचल के हरोली में बनने वाले बल्क ड्रग पार्क का शुरू से ही विरोध किया है' — 'Congress has opposed the Bulk Drug Park to be built in Haroli, Himachal Pradesh, right from the beginning.' The charge is pointed: not a policy disagreement, but what the BJP frames as reflexive obstructionism against a project designed to bring jobs and industry to Una.
What the Haroli Bulk Drug Park promises Una district
The Bulk Drug Parks scheme was approved by the Union Cabinet in March 2020 as a cornerstone of India's Atmanirbhar Bharat push in pharmaceuticals. The goal is direct: build dedicated parks where manufacturers can produce Active Pharmaceutical Ingredients (APIs) domestically, cutting India's deep dependence on API imports — particularly from China. Haroli, a town in Una district, was identified as Himachal Pradesh's node for this national programme.
For Una, the stakes are tangible. Pharmaceutical manufacturing brings high-skill employment, ancillary industry, and long-term revenue to a district that sits outside the state's traditional tourism and apple-economy belts. Land acquisition, construction timelines, and the Himachal Pradesh government's active facilitation are the variables that will determine whether the park moves from blueprint to brickwork.
BJP's Himachal playbook: development vs. obstruction
Thakur's post fits a well-worn but electorally effective template that BJP leaders in Himachal Pradesh have deployed consistently: position central-government schemes as engines of local progress, and tag any state-level Congress resistance as an act against the people of the constituency. As a former Union Minister of Information & Broadcasting and Youth Affairs & Sports, Thakur carries enough ministerial credibility to make the accusation land beyond a generic party broadside.
Congress has not publicly responded to this specific charge as of the time of posting. What progress has been made on land acquisition and construction at Haroli — and whether the state government has formally signalled support or hesitation — remains the live question. The Bulk Drug Park is ultimately a central-scheme asset; state cooperation is necessary, state obstruction is costly.
Point of View
The state Congress resisted it. Whether this charge translates into measurable public sentiment in Una district will depend on visible project progress on the ground — because infrastructure claims without concrete are ultimately a gift to the opposition.
NationPress
23 Oct 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the Bulk Drug Park planned for Haroli, Himachal Pradesh?
The Haroli Bulk Drug Park is a proposed facility in Una district, Himachal Pradesh under the Union government's Bulk Drug Parks scheme , approved in March 2020 , to manufacture Active Pharmaceutical Ingredients domestically and reduce India's API import dependence.
Why is Anurag Thakur criticising Congress over the Haroli Bulk Drug Park?
BJP MP Anurag Thakur has accused Congress of opposing the Haroli Bulk Drug Park since its inception, framing the party's stance as obstructing a central infrastructure project that would bring pharmaceutical industry and employment to Una district .
What is India's Bulk Drug Parks scheme?
The Bulk Drug Parks scheme was approved by the Union Cabinet in March 2020 as part of the Atmanirbhar Bharat initiative. It aims to create dedicated parks for API manufacturing, reducing India's heavy reliance on pharmaceutical ingredient imports.
Where is Haroli located in Himachal Pradesh?
Haroli is a town in Una district , Himachal Pradesh. It was identified as the state's designated location for the Union government's Bulk Drug Park programme.
What is the current status of the Haroli Bulk Drug Park project?
Land acquisition, construction timelines, and formal state-government facilitation are the key pending variables for the Haroli Bulk Drug Park . Specific construction progress as of October 2026 has not been independently confirmed.
