Private industrial estates on the cards in Uttaranchal

With land prices rising in Uttaranchal, private industries in the Garhwal and Kumaon regions have agreed to a government proposal to develop two private industrial estates in both the regions for future expansion programmes.

"We are ready to extend all support to the expansion of private industries in the state," Industry Secretary Sanjiv Chopra told Business Standard.

Under the proposal, a private industrial estate comprising 60 acres of land on the "no profit, no loss" basis would be developed in the Mohand area on the foothills of Dehra Dun with the participation of nearly 400 industries in the Garhwal region.

"We are looking for land at Mohand for developing industrial estate," said Punkaj Gupta, president of the Indian Industries Association of Uttaranchal (IIAU). Over 400 industries are members of the association.

The estimated cost of the industrial estate would be Rs 6 crore with 12 per cent equity share of Small Industrial Development Corporation of Uttaranchal Ltd (SIDCUL), a state government enterprise, Gupta said.

Thanking the government for the initiative, the IIAU president said Mohand being close to Dehra Dun would become an ideal ground for the future expansion programmes of the member industries.

"Mohand is 35 km away from Dehra Dun and all those restrictions, which are in force in Dehra Dun will not become a hurdle in this area. Moreover, there is no law and order problem in Mohand, which is also having sufficient water and electricity supply," Gupta said.

On the other hand, a similar proposal is being studied by the Kumoan Garhwal Chamber of Commerce and Industry (KGCCI) having a membership of 160 industries.

"This is a good proposal and we are looking for land in the Kashipur area in the Udham Singh Nagar district," said Jitender Kumar, president of the KGCCI.

While the government is developing two industrial estates""one in Hardwar and other in Pant Nagar"" both the KGCCI and the IIAU said the two industrial estates did not meet the requirements of the local industries particularly those established in the Dehra Dun and Kashipur areas.