Himachal to Highlight Industrial Growth at HIM MSME Fest

The Himachal Pradesh government aims to highlight its industrial growth at the upcoming HIM MSME Fest. The three-day event, organised by the state’s department of industries, will bring together buyers, sellers, and industry stakeholders from January 3 to 5, 2026, in Shimla.

During the event, the state government will present Himachal Pradesh as a leading hub for pharmaceutical and healthcare manufacturing, which it says is driving excellence in quality production and exports. The state also boasts a strong industrial ecosystem, with well-established clusters across manufacturing and services, supported by progressive, investor-friendly policies that simplify clearances and provide MSME-focused facilitation.

Himachal Pradesh is also a power-surplus state committed to sustainability, promoting renewable-led growth, according to the government. Its export-oriented economy connects local enterprises to national and global markets, further strengthening its business appeal.

“The event will be a unique opportunity to work together with CEOs of different companies, entrepreneurs, investors, and academics to make Himachal self-reliant and to work on a new industrial policy,” said Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu.

The event comes just a few weeks after the state government introduced a new Bill to ease restrictions on land acquisition for business, industry, real estate, and cooperative ventures. Earlier this month, Revenue Minister Jagat Singh Negi tabled the Himachal Pradesh Tenancy and Land Reforms (Amendment) Bill, 2025, proposing significant changes to Section 118 of the Himachal Pradesh Tenancy and Land Reforms Act, 1972.

The state government has proposed changes with the aim of easing restrictions on land acquisition in Himachal Pradesh. According to the draft proposal, the reforms are intended to resolve long-standing challenges faced by investors and businesses in acquiring land for setting up projects in the state.

In its statement of objects and reasons, the government noted that Himachal Pradesh’s socio-economic landscape has evolved considerably over the years. To support economic growth, the administration is seeking to encourage greater private investment. While reaffirming the underlying purpose of Section 118, it has argued that some provisions have become overly complex and now require simplification, along with additional measures to enable genuine investment.

The draft also points out that several investors who acquired land with legitimate intent have struggled to complete projects within prescribed timelines due to circumstances beyond their control. To address this, the proposed Bill includes a provision to extend project completion deadlines, subject to the payment of a specified penalty.

Additionally, the proposal seeks to exclude short-term leases of buildings, up to 10 years, for business use in rural areas from the scope of Section 118. To further improve ease of doing business in the housing and real estate sector, the government plans to extend the existing exemption for purchases from the Himachal Pradesh Housing and Urban Development Authority (HIMUDA) to subsequent buyers. A similar relaxation is also being considered for non-agriculturists buying completed buildings or flats developed by private real estate firms.

The Bill has been sent to a Select Committee for further examination.

The Himachal Pradesh government also plans to introduce the Shops and Commercial Establishments (Amendment) Bill, 2025, which proposes raising the overtime limit from 115 to 144 hours over three months, subject to employee consent and additional pay, while also bringing more commercial establishments under regulation.