Multi-crore trade centre to be functional in Baddi :

1. Hopes of the Rs 15-crore Baddi Trade Centre (BTC) becoming functional have been revived with the Baddi Barotiwala Nalagarh Developing Authority (BBNDA) evaluating bids after three parties have come forward to run it.

2. Constructed by incurring Rs 15 crore, the centre has failed to become functional ever since it was inaugurated by former Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh in March 2016.

3. Chief Executive Officer, BBNDA, while confirming the news said they were evaluating three bids received after tenders had been floated to run the centre.

4. The proposal to construct the BTC over 35 bighas was conceived on a public-private partnership mode and it was sanctioned grant-in-aid of Rs 5.40 crore under the “Assistance to States for Developing Export Infrastructure and Allied Activities” in 2008-2009.

5. The project has seen several flip-flops ever since it was conceived and could not be made functional despite being inaugurated in March 2016.

6. The project cost had also escalated as its construction extended for several years. Initially, its estimated cost was Rs 10.81 crore and Rs 5.40 crore was granted by the Centre. The state government had extended its share of Rs 3.20 crore and Rs 2.21 crore was supposed to be pooled in by the BBN Industries Association.

7. The civil work was completed in February 2015 and an expenditure of Rs 8.94 crore was incurred on its construction. Though a proposal to raise a term loan was also mooted but it could not materialise. The industry association had pooled in only Rs 10 lakh as against their share of Rs 2.21 crore and the state exchequer was forced to bear the additional burden.

8. The Comptroller and Auditor General had also raised questions over the expenditure worth crores incurred on it as it was lying unused for more than two years. The unused building had also started showing signs of wearing off and if not put to use now, it would deteriorate further.

About Baddi :

Baddi is an industrial town and a Nagar parishad in the southwestern Solan district of Himachal Pradesh, India. The town lies on the border of Himachal Pradesh and Haryana states in the Shivalik Hills, around 35 kilometres west of Solan.

Baddi is home to multiple pharmaceutical companies which have established manufacturing plants and R&D hubs in the town. The town is Asia's biggest Pharmaceuticals hub and is home to some of the largest pharmaceutical companies such as Cipla, Dr. Reddy's Laboratories, Cadila Healthcare, Abbott Laboratories, Ranbaxy Laboratories, etc.

Baddi houses a total of 2,120 factories belonging to leading pharma, FMCG and textile companies among others and which generate an annual turnover of Rs 60,000 crore. Baddi employs one-third of all persons engaged in Himachal's medium and large industries. In terms of revenue, the town contributes half of the state's total revenues generated from industries. Baddi University of Emerging Sciences and Technologies is one of the most prominent private university in the state.