Hooda blames BJP for industry exodus, says Haryana now leads in unemployment and migration

Former Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda alleged Monday that due to the anti-Haryana policies of the BJP government, industries are rapidly migrating from the state, leading to rising unemployment, crime, and drug abuse.

“Recently, reports indicated that the plywood and utensils industry of Yamunanagar and the textile industry of Panipat are on the brink of closure. The latest data now reveals that in the past three years, over 100 rice mills have shifted from Haryana to Madhya Pradesh,” Hooda said in a statement.

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“This is not only a setback for a state with an agriculture-based economy but also a matter of shame for the government. Haryana will lose revenue worth Rs 100 crore annually, and around 20,000 to 25,000 jobs will be lost every year,” he added.

He further stated that more than 100 rice mills from places like Yamunanagar, Karnal, Tarawadi, Cheeka, Gharaunda, Kurukshetra, Nissing, Kaithal, Ambala, Fatehabad, Sirsa, Tohana, and Ratia have moved to Madhya Pradesh in the past three years.

“Thirty to forty business owners have even purchased land there to set up new mills and warehouses, as the Haryana government refused to reduce the market fee despite repeated appeals. The market fee in Haryana stands at 4 per cent, compared to just 1.20 per cent in Madhya Pradesh,” Hooda said.

He alleged that in Haryana, the BJP government has further crippled the industrial sector by hiking electricity tariffs drastically. “The situation is worsened by rising crime, extortion, mafia threats, and lawlessness, which have compelled industrialists to leave the state,” he said.

Hooda pointed out that small and medium industries, already reeling from demonetisation and the COVID-19 pandemic, are yet to recover due to a lack of government support. Referring to the plywood industry, he noted that although it defines Yamunanagar identity, it is now shifting to Uttar Pradesh, where the state government is offering cluster-based incentives.

“In 2017, there were 380 plywood units operating here, but now only 160 remain. Similarly, industries in Panchkula are moving to Baddi in Himachal Pradesh, and those in Gurugram and Faridabad are turning to Noida and Ghaziabad,” he said.

The former CM also criticised the BJP for its failure to attract major investments. “Under Congress rule, the maximum investment around Delhi came to Haryana—areas like Gurugram, Faridabad, Sonipat, Panipat, Rewari, and Rohtak thrived. But in the past 11 years, not only have fresh investments dried up, but even existing industries are leaving. This has left Haryana at the top in unemployment rankings nationally,” he remarked.

“During the Congress tenure, six new IMTs (Haryana State Industrial and Infrastructure Development Corporation areas) were established. Major companies like Maruti, Asian Paints, NTPC, Reliance, Honda, IOC, Panasonic, Yokohama, and Denso set up operations here. We also secured approvals for a rail coach factory and an international airport, and Haryana led the nation in per capita income, investment, and employment,” Hooda said.

“In contrast, the BJP hasn’t built even a single new IMT in its entire tenure. No major investment has come in. Rising crime and fear among industrialists have led to a mass exodus of both small and large businesses. Approved projects like the rail coach factory and international airport were shifted out. As a result, Haryana now ranks at the top in unemployment, crime, drug addiction, industrial migration, and corruption,” he claimed.