Ambala: ‘Science City’ Ambala Cantt presently having more than 2100 micro, small and medium industrial units manufacturing scientific instruments used in educational institutes, microscopes, incubators, glasswares being supplied to the industry and research centres including Defence Research and Development Organization (DRDO) and exports all over the world, having annual turnover more than Rs 3000 crore and providing employment to more than 20000 persons. The local units have been manufacturing and supplying scientific instruments since 1914, not only in the country but all over the world, yet crying for immediate government attention to set up a Research and Design Centre, a Kaushal Vikas Institute for skill development and a Tool Room Centre to boost the quality of products. The entrepreneurs of this industry in the town are awaiting government to declare Ambala having a staus of ‘Science City’ because of having over 40% share in manufacturing and supply of scientific instruments in the country, which can further increase the business in domestic as well as in export markets by nearly hundred percent, also giving a severe dent to the scientific instruments industry in China.
Umesh Gupta President of Scientific Apparatus Manufacturers Association said that a Tool Centre with the investment of Rs 100 crore was approved by the government to be set up in Saha Industrial Growth Centre near the town over a decade ago but the project is still hanging on fire without any action since after the inauguration in-spite of repeated requests by the local entrepreneurs, who have now left all hopes as regard this project will ever come up. Ashwani Goel of Haryana Chamber of Commerce & Industry expressed regrets over the political leaders also making tall claims for developing this as well as many other similar projects to boost scientific industry in the town prior to the elections, but took no action after coming to power. According to Sanjay Gupta, a former President of another association ASIMA, in-spite of being Asia’s biggest scientific instrument manufacturing hub in Asia, Ambala is deprived of having a status of ‘Science City’ so far, adversely affecting the reputation not only in domestic as well as export markets.
The entrepreneurs said that there was a proposal by HSIIDC for developing a industry zone in 108 acre area at village Kardhan near the town to make available industrial plots to the scientific instrument manufacturers at subsidized rates, enabling them to shift their units presently mushrooming in thickly populated residential areas in the town, but the proposal is yet on papers only since past over a year. Talking to The Financial World, large number of entrepreneurs in scientific goods manufacturing business demanded immediate government action by the Ministry of Science and Ministry of Commerce to develop a Glass Plant & Research Centre, start functioning of Indian Design Development Centre which was shifted from Staff Road to the GT Road near Indian Oil Terminal, construction of Tool Room Centrerat Saha Industrial Growth Centre immediately which was left in-between years ago, a Skill Centre to boost quality of manufactured products, Science Memorial to enhance Science Education and above to declare Ambala a ‘Science City’.
