Ambala: Talking to the media persons here Kartikey Sharma, Rajya Sabha member said he has raised the long pending issue of developing an Industrial Model Town (IMT) in Ambala on Wednesday, to bring prosperity in the area and also to create employment opportunities for the youths. This issue was also raised by his father, a former Union Minister when Bhupinder Singh Hooda was Chief Minister in the state. The dream project of Vinod Sharma (who was also MLA of Ambala Vidhan Sabha constituency)  was approved for developing an IMT by the state government and acquire 1852 acre area belonging to six villages: Panjokhra, Khatauli, Mandaur, Zenatpur, Garnala and Kakrru near Ambala City.

The farmers in the area started protests against government decision to acquire agricultural land along with few senior political leaders, including from Congress when Kumari Shelja also sat on ‘dharna’ along with protesting farmers. In the long run, this project situated on the highway likely to bring a boom in the area and provide employment opportunities to thousands of youths in the area was postponed. Although, former chief minister Manohar Lal Khattar and Aseem Goel MLA (presently minister in the state) too have been declaring from time to time to set up IMT in Ambala, but the dream project of former Union Minister Vinod Sharma remained pending since past 14-15 years, is now likely to be completed by his Rajya Sabha member son Kartikey Sharma.

While talking to media persons, Kartikey Sharma said that Ambala is a most suitable place situated on the highways, having connectivity with the rest part of country with logistic facilities, is most suitable for developing an IMT, which will also fulfill the gap due to closure of HMT unit in Pinjore on which large number of small scale ancillaries manufacturing units were dependant, as such he has also demanded in Lok Sabha session to develop an industry cluster in Kalka also.