SIDCUL plans to develop another industrial estate

This will be the third biggest in Uttarakhand.

The State Industrial Development Corporation of Uttarakhand Ltd (SIDCUL) is now planning to set up an industrial estate at Escort Farms in the Kashipur area of the Kumaon region.

After Haridwar and Pantnagar, this will be the biggest industrial estate to be developed by SIDCUL, the state government's nodal agency for industrialisation.

Government estimates suggest that the new industrial estate can attract investment of over Rs 5,000 crore.

A preliminary detailed project report (DPR) had been prepared, official sources said. The new industrial estate will be spread over 530 acres, 65 per cent of which will be for sale.

There will be nearly 145 industrial plots in the proposed industrial estate. At least 79 plots will be of one acre each, 29 of 4 acres each and the others being in different sizes. The area of the plots will range from 0.63 acres to 12.35 acres.

"This time we are not hiring consultants, because of our bitter experience in the past," said a top government official.

Since the tax holiday scheme for Uttarakhand is expiring on March 31, 2010, the government is in a hurry to decide the allotment of the plots. Though Chief Minister BC Khanduri wants the tax breaks to continue for another period of three years, sources said Escort Farms might be the last industrial estate before the tax incentives came to an end.

The Sitarganj Industrial Estate, being developed by Eldico Company, has run into controversy following reports that the allotment of plots was allegedly carried out before the main agreements were signed. Officials said the government was now maintaining an arm's length from consultants and developers.

Following this controversy and the setting up of two commissions of inquiry, the government was shying away from further industrialisation in the plains.

In the case of Escort Farms, SIDCUL has now two options for the development of infrastructure facilities. "We may undertake the infrastructure work ourselves or give the contracts to government agencies like PWD and Jal Sansthan," said the official.

Escort Farms was at the centre of a controversy in 2006, after the Uttarakhand government decided to take back the land from the settlers there. This led to a big agitation, with Akali Dal pitching in. But later, the government managed to free the land holdings of 600 acres. Now this particular land will be used to develop the new industrial estate.