After deferring the proposal to set up an industrial estate at Kashipur, the board of directors of the State Infrastructure and Industrial Development Corporation of Uttarakhand Ltd (Sidcul) has agreed to reconsider it again.
Sidcul had put up the proposal before its board to develop an industrial estate at Escorts Farms in Kashipur town of Uttarakhand. The board in turn had deferred the proposal and instead set up a high-powered committee headed by the additional chief secretary to go into the various aspects of the industrial estate.
Since the Central Industrial Package is expiring on March 31, 2010, Sidcul officials are in hurry to complete the industrial estate before the sunset clause ends. “The proposal regarding the Kashipur industrial estate will be put before the Sidcul board again,” a top official today said.
After Haridwar and Pantnagar, the Escort Farms industrial estate will be the biggest in the hill state with Sidcul deciding not to hire private consultants. For the development of infrastructure and other facilities, Sidcul is in talks with the state PWD department and the Jal Sansthan.
The government estimate suggests that the new industrial estate can attract investment of over Rs 5,000 crore.
The Detailed Project Report (DPR) of the new industrial estate, which would be set up an area of 530 acres of area, has been prepared by IL&FS.
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There will be nearly 145 industrial plots, which will be up for grab. At least 79 plots will be of one acres each, 29 of 4 acres and others being in different sizes. Experts here said the SIDCUL should also set up a Knowledge park in the area keeping in view the interest of the industries, which find it difficult to hire skilled workers in the state and can talk to private players in this regard.
Since Escorts Farms falls in non-notified area, the government is expecting only thrust industries to set up their new units there.
Escort Farms was at the centre of a controversy in 2006 after the state government decided to take back the land from settlers there. But despite an agitation by the settlers, the government managed to free land holdings at 600 acres of area. Now, this particular land will be used to develop the industrial estate, the official said.