Mumbai, Nov 5 (IANS): Tata and Mahindra & Mahindra Wednesday expressed interest in investing in Himachal Pradesh, while Pidlite and Luminous Power Technology India showed interest in expanding their existing facilities in the state.

Top officials of Tata at a meeting with a delegation led by Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh proposed to invest in five-six hydropower projects in a big way, besides showing keenness in the introduction of cable cars and ropeways, a government statement said.

It said Mahindra & Mahindra chairman and director Arun Nanda also proposed to set up arts and crafts villages and resorts in lower hills for boosting tourism.

He showed interest in setting up international-level educational institutes.

Nanda asked the chief minister to extend help in getting land in Dharamsala in Kangra district.

The chief minister along with Industries Minister Mukesh Agnihotri and government functionaries was in Mumbai to meet investors and try to project the state as an ideal destination for investment owing to surplus electricity and cheap manpower.

This was the first phase investors' meet organised in association with the Confederation of India Industries (CII). Two more meets will be organised in Bangalore and Ahmedabad.

Pidlite executive director Apurva Parekh showed interest in investing and expanding the firm's manufacturing facilities with an additional investment.

Amarson Ltd. and Meridian Group offered an investment of Rs.600-700 crore in solar and biomass energy in the state, using weed lantana and pine needles for generating electricity.

It has proposed to set up a 10 MW solar energy plant and introduce houseboats for tourists in the Pong Dam reservoir.

The chief minister also welcomed a proposal for opening medical colleges in the private sector by the D.Y. Patil Group, which is running 230 medical colleges across the globe.

Luminous Power Technology India also expressed interest in expansion of its manufacturing facilities with additional investment of Rs.100 crore.

Representatives of pharmaceutical major like Glenmark, Hindustan Lever and United Phosphorous Ltd. also interacted with the chief minister.

Speaking at the investors' meet, Virbhadra Singh said the state government has already announced freezing of the power tariff up to 2018 at one fixed rate for the new industry.

The rates of electricity in the state were 20 to 30 percent lower than neighbouring states, he added.

The chief minister will also hold investors' meet in Bangalore and Ahmedabad.