The plots are waiting for takers. Those who have purchased plots have not started their industries and the existing industries are now closed.
Sources say that one of the main reasons for this is that the industries in these estates are not getting facilties as those under the Special Economic Zones (SEZ) and hence the demand is that the SEZ status shoud be given to the industrial estates developed under the Maharashtra State Industrial Development Corporation (MIDC).
According to the available statistics in Shiroli industrial estate near Kolhapur, out of 744 plots, 572 are utilised while 172 plots are purchased but kept vacant.
In Gokulshiragaon industrial estate, out of the 806 purchased plots, 597 are used for industrial units and 209 are vacant. In Kagal industrial estate, out of 819, only 24 units are used while 795 plots are purchased but not utilised for industries.
Local industrialists have demanded that the status of the SEZ should be made applicable to the industrial estates instead of acquiring lands. If the SEZ status is given to existing industrial estates, all facilities available to the SEZ will be available to the industries in the industrial estates and industrial organisations will be pleased to start industries without keeping any plots vacant, said those in the know.
When asked about the demand, G.B.Dighe, president of the Shiroli Manufacturers Association pointed out that the SEZ status should be given because small and medium industries in the industrial estates are producing castings and other components of international standards which are supplied to big industries in the SEZ.
Sources close to MIDC, which controls the industrial estates have appreciated the demand to provide the SEZ status, with all facilities, for which due amendments have to be made in the SEZ Act. The Union commerce and industries minister Kamal Nath has already declared that if needed, necessary amendments will be made in the SEZ Act.
Although he has not refered to the need for amendment for demand of providing SEZ status to industrial estates, the members of parliament (MPs) in the southern Maharashtra region are expected to move matters and appeal to the concerned ministers so that necessary amendment will be made and the industrial estates will get the SEZ status.
