The State Industrial Development Corporation of Uttarakhand Ltd (SIDCUL) has chalked an ambitious plant to develop SMEs at a new industrial estate at Kashipur in Kumaon region. The proposal, however, has not made much headway due to various bureaucratic and administrative delays.
SIDCUL, which has already developed the key Pantnagar and Haridwar industrial estates, put up the proposal before its Board on August 23 to develop the industrial estate at Escorts Farms at Kashipur, an industrial town of Uttarakhand.
The Board 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 (CIP) expires on March 31, 2010, SIDCUL officials are anxious to complete the industrial estate at least a year before the sun-set clause ends.
“The Kashipur industrial estate is presently buried only in files,” a top official said recently. After the August 23 meeting, no interest has been shown by the government big-wigs.
After Haridwar and Pantnagar, where companies like Voltas, Nestle, Britannia and Bajaj Auto have set up new units, the Escort Farms industrial estate will be the third-largest in state. Officials hope that it can also become a hub for IT and education.
SIDCUL has decided not to hire any private consultant. For the development of infrastructure and other facilities, SIDCUL is in talks with the state PWD department and the Jal Sansthan. Government estimates suggest the new industrial estate can attract an investment of over Rs 5,000 crore. The Detailed Project Report (DPR) of the new industrial estate, to be set up in 530 acres, has been prepared by IL&FS. There will be nearly 145 industrial plots up for grab by the SME units.
At least, 79 plots will be of one acres each, 29 plots would be of 4 acres and the rest in various sizes. Experts said 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.
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Since Escorts Farms falls in a 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 settlers’ land. Despite an agitation by the settlers, the government managed to free land holdings of around 600 acres. Now, this particular land will be used to develop the industrial estate, the official said.