*Punitive action to be taken for non-cooperation
Mohinder Verma
JAMMU, Oct 11: As huge chunk of land in the existing industrial estates has remained un-utilized for the past many years and creating impediments in giving necessary impetus to industrialization, the State Government has started issuing notices to allottees of such plots with the direction to surrender the land failing which punitive action would be taken against them.
Official sources told EXCELSIOR that under the previous Industrial Policy of the State Government plots were allotted in all the industrial estates for establishment of units so that allottees could play vital role in industrial development with focus on employment generation.
However, large number of industrial plots remained un-utilized for the intended purpose mainly because of those allottees who had taken the land with the sole objective of investment and not for establishment of industrial units.
“The non-utilization of industrial plots was viewed seriously by the successive Governments a number of times and even decision was taken to get back the land from such allottees but vested interests in political as well as administrative set-up always played spoilsport and the much talked about plan remained confined to the official files”, sources said.
This was notwithstanding the fact that there was a provision in the earlier Industrial Policy whereby period was prescribed for establishment of industrial units by the allottees. Moreover, there were enough powers with the competent authority to order cancellation of un-used industrial plots after an aggregate period of 180 days.
Now, after inordinate delay the Industries and Commerce Department has started issuing notices to allottees of those plots, which remained un-utilized till date despite repeated requests from the concerned quarters, under new Industrial Policy, sources informed.
The new Industrial Policy 2016, which was issued vide Government Order No.58-IND dated March 15, 2016, clearly states: “The earlier allotted land still remaining un-utilized/ vacant shall be retrieved or in case of unit being sick, land will be put to open auction and highest bidder will become eligible for transfer of that land for industrial establishment”.
The notices are being issued by Directorate of Industries of Jammu/Kashmir, State Industrial Development Corporation (SIDCO) and Small Scale Industries Development Corporation Limited (SICOP), sources said while disclosing that through notices the allottees of the un-utilized or vacant plots are being directed to surrender the land so as to pave the way for fresh allotment to aspiring entrepreneurs, who really want to help the Government in industrialization.
“Sufficient time is being given to such allottees for surrender of the unused plots failing which punitive action as envisaged under the new Industrial Policy will be taken against them”, sources said while informing that several such allottees have already come forward to give up the land allotted to them several years back.
They informed that under Directorate of Industries Jammu, there are 11 industrial estates and notices are being issued through the General Managers of respective District Industries Centres (DICs). Similarly, the SICOP has issued notices in respect of 100 kanals of land in Kathua Industrial Estate and 70 kanals of land in Udhampur Industrial Estate.
As far as SIDCO is concerned, the notices are being issued in respect of un-utilized plots in industrial estates at Khanmoh, Lassipora, Shalteng and Rangreth in Kashmir valley and Bari Brahamana, Samba and Jammu in Jammu region. “The allottees of un-utilized industrial plots were given opportunity from time to time for establishment of units but they chose not to come forward to help the Government in its efforts of industrialization”, sources said while disclosing that the period of last opportunity had expired in April this year.
When contacted, Commissioner Secretary, Industries and Commerce Department, Shailendra Kumar said that Directorates of Industries, SIDCO and SICOP have been explicitly told to go ahead with retrieval of un-utilized industrial plots so that same can be given to aspiring entrepreneurs through open auction. “We have long list of aspirants for industrial plots and unlike the earlier allottees they really want to establish units”, he added.
Even the new Industrial Policy clearly states that if effective steps are not taken by the allottee/promoter for utilization of the allotted land for the purpose, for which it has been allotted within a period of two years after handing over the possession, the land shall be retrieved and resumed by the lessor, the Commissioner Secretary Industries and Commerce said, adding these provisions will be explicitly conveyed to the new allottees so that they don’t follow the foot-step of the earlier allottees and rather help the Government in industrial growth.
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