Several proposals aimed at meeting the growing demand for land for the industry in the State were approved at the 135th Board of Directors (BoD) meeting of Jammu & Kashmir State Industrial Development Corporation (JKSIDCO) held at Civil Secretariat under the chairmanship of Minister for Industries and Commerce Chander Parkash Ganga.
The meeting was also attended by Minister of State for Industries and Commerce Syed Farooq Ahmad Andrabi.
In addition to a fully developed land bank of 26,839 kanals of land in the shape of industrial estates – with a total of 1,972 established units – in the State, the JKSIDCO informed the Board that the Corporation is also involved in development of new industrial estates, including an area of 1008 kanals of land at Ompora in Budgam being developed at an estimated cost of 25 crore rupees, the 3502-kanal Industrial Complex at Ghatti in Kathua and the 2763-kanal Industrial Growth Centre in Samba.
The Corporation also informed the Board about other major projects under its execution, including Trade Facilitation Centre at Salamabad in Uri (Phase II) at a cost of 10 crore rupees, National Institute of Fashion Technology (NIFT) at Industrial Complex Ompora at a cost of 325 crore rupees, IT Tower Building at Rangreth (Phase I) for allotment to entrepreneurs dealing in IT-enabled services at a cost of 5.3 crore rupees.
In addition, it said, the Corporation is also involved in implementation of projects worth 116.62 crore rupees under the TAMEIR Plan for J&K, development of Leather Cluster at IGC Lassipora and setting up of Common Effluent Treatment Plants (CETP) in industrial estates.
The meeting also discussed the status of disbursement of soft loans in favor of State Level Rehabilitation Committee-cleared beneficiaries by the Corporation. The Corporation informed the Board that against funds to the tune of 5.23 crore rupees received from the State government till 2016-17 it has disbursed 4.58 crore rupees in favor of 39 beneficiaries so far.
It was said that these are in addition to 33 beneficiaries in whose favor funds to the tune of 6.47 crore stand sanctioned as soft loan but await disbursement after completion of requisite formalities.
The meeting also discussed the status of identification or acquisition of new land for setting up of new industrial estates or extension of existing industrial estates as envisaged under the Industrial Policy 2016, which calls for drawing up an action plan for creation of land bank of 20 thousand kanals of land over its first five years.
In pursuance to Procedural Guidelines of Industrial Policy 2016, the Board also approved waiver of premium and rentals against allotment of land in industrial estates to public utility agencies such as Fire Services, Police, Government Dispensaries, Power Department, PHE and Scheduled Banks. The Board also approved allotment of land in industrial estates to weighbridges and warehouses.
Speaking on the occasion, Chander Parkash Ganga called for implementation of the current industrial policy and procedural guidelines in its letter and spirit.
JKSIDCO also proposed to take up two new areas in Samba for development as new industrial estates, including one at Balol, Birpur, where a total of 505 kanals of land has been reclaimed, and another at Meen Charkan, Smailpur, where a total of 1385 kanals of proprietary land has been acquired by the Corporation. The Board approved both the proposals.
The Board also approved other industry-friendly proposals raised in the meeting, including extension of 10% reservation of land allotment to women entrepreneurs across all existing and new industrial estates irrespective of area of industrial estate and cancellation of fee levied against change of name or style of an industrial unit.
The meeting also discussed setting up of Common Hazardous Waste Management Facility in the Corporation’s industrial estates, emphasizing the urgent need to do so.
Among other Board members, the meeting was attended by Commissioner Secretary, Industries and Commerce, Shailendra Kumar, Managing Director JKSIDCO, Jaswinder Singh Dua, and representatives of Finance and Planning departments.