Chhattisgarh gets investment proposals worth more than Rs 90,000 crore

Mineral-rich Chhattisgarh has received, as part of its industrial policy, investment proposals worth more than Rs 90,000 crore in the past three and a half years.

A spokesperson for the Chhattisgarh commerce and industries department said during this period, 178 deals had been inked for setting up units in the state. These will create 110,300 jobs, the spokesperson added.

According to officials, the state received capital investments of Rs 4,126 crore for establishing new units.

By May this, production started in 11 units with capital investments of Rs 1,385 crore. The units on stream had provided jobs to nearly 2,000 people, officials said. The remaining proposals, worth Rs 2,741 crore, are in the works and would take shape soon, officials said.

“The industry-friendly policy of the government of Chhattisgarh has created an environment for the establishment of new industries and business in the state,” a senior official of the department said.

It has been encouraging for entrepreneurs, he added.

The official said the packages included in the Industrial Policy 2019-2024 had helped in getting proposals. Besides relaxing the norms for establishing units, the clauses under “Ease of Doing Business” had been simplified. Under the clauses, the process of various types of approval, licence, and registration has been simplified by using state-of-the-art information technology.

The state government has introduced a single-window system to provide clearance. While many services have been made online, there are easy provisions for allotting land to industry. Arrangements have been made to complete all the processes within the stipulated time frame. Before the formulation of the new industrial policy, there was consultation with various industry associations, industrialists, and other stakeholders.

Meanwhile, the state government has decided to promote large, mega and ultra-mega projects that the previous government had stopped, stating the sector had reached a saturation level.

Amendments have been made to the Industrial Policy 2019-2024 and the government announced a special investment promotion package for such projects in the steel and iron ore sectors.

The previous government had focused on value addition, agriculture-based, and cottage industries.