*25 estates await agencies, 19 crawl ahead sans deadline
Mohinder Verma
JAMMU, Mar 22: Nearly two years after the ambitious announcement, the plan to develop 46 new Industrial Estates to fulfill the goal of “Made in Jammu and Kashmir” remains mired in delays with no concrete timeline for their completion.
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On July 23, 2024, rapid development of 46 new Industrial Estates was announced by the Government to attract investment and create employment opportunities. “Apart from the existing 64 Industrial Estates, 46 estates are being developed to fulfill the goal of Made in Jammu and Kashmir,” the Government had officially stated.
Thereafter, the Government, from time to time, kept reiterating that it will develop 46 new Industrial Estates with all modern facilities to attract industries and enhance job opportunities.
In order to ensure that these new Industrial Estates come up in the shortest possible time-frame, the Revenue Department even transferred 22,239 kanals of land to the Industries and Commerce Department for development of infrastructure.
However, till date, not even one new Industrial Estate has been developed because of varied reasons. Interestingly, even today, nobody in the Industries and Commerce Department is in a position to specify any time-frame for development of 46 new Industrial Estates in all respects, official sources told Excelsior.
They revealed that work for 19 Industrial Estates has been awarded but without any specific date for completion. “In the official meetings, it is generally stated by the Industries and Commerce Department that work on 11 Industrial Estates will be completed in the financial year 2026-27,” sources informed.
Of these 19 Industrial Estates, it is claimed that 60% work has been completed on 11 estates, namely Trenz, Hariparigam Pulwama, Lelhar Pulwama, Sole Sungal Jammu, Chandgam Pulwama, Baghthali Kathua, Sempora Srinagar, Bandipora Budgam, Bemina Medicity, Swankha Samba and Ghatti Merath.
Similarly, the Industries Department has conveyed to the Government that 40% work has been completed on three Industrial Estates-Forlain Kathua, Khunmoh Srinagar and Balole Bari Brahmana and are expected to be fully completed in financial year 2027-28.
“The work on five Industrial Estates-Krandi Samba, Miran Sahib, Medicity Deli, Budhi Kathua and Kartholi Bari Brahmana is affected due to litigation and other disputes,” sources informed.
Regarding 25 other proposed Industrial Estates, sources said, “the development of these estates is under process in the Industries and Commerce Department for finalization of executing agencies, but without any specified time-frame for completion of procedural formalities.”
They further said, “despite repeated official claims projecting the initiative as a cornerstone of industrial growth and employment generation, the absence of a fixed time-frame has raised serious concerns about the Government’s intent and execution capabilities,” adding, “it is really strange that while the Industries and Commerce Department is continuously seeking land parcels from the Government, not much effort is being made to create infrastructure in those estates for which suitable land has already been provided”.
They remarked, “the slow pace of progress has not only undermined investor confidence but also weakened the larger vision of transforming Jammu and Kashmir into an industrial hub. Entrepreneurs and stakeholders, who had pinned hopes on the creation of modern industrial infrastructure, are now grappling with uncertainty and delays”.
“Without strict timelines, accountability mechanisms and fast-tracked clearances, the ambitious plan risks turning into yet another missed opportunity”, sources further remarked.
Pointing towards the recent announcement of the Chief Minister Omar Abdullah that no efforts will be left unturned to fulfill the vision of “Made in Jammu and Kashmir”, sources said, “the situation calls for streamlining of procedures within the Industries and Commerce Department, particularly in the selection of executing agencies. Fast-tracking approvals and cutting bureaucratic layers are essential to prevent further erosion of time and resources”.
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