Govt violates own policy, creates roadblock in cancellation of un-used industrial plots

Mohinder Verma
JAMMU, June 23: Making mockery of the Industrial Policy duly approved by the Cabinet, the State Government has created roadblock in the cancellation of huge number of plots lying un-used in various Industrial Estates allegedly under the pressure of influential persons. In this way, the Government has also acted as stumbling block in allotment of plots to the budding entrepreneurs, who want to contribute in the industrial growth of the State.
Official sources told EXCELSIOR that existing Industrial Policy specifically prescribes the period in which the allottees of the plots in the Industrial Estates have to take effective steps to make use of the same for establishment of the industrial units. Moreover, the Policy states that if the premises remain unused for an aggregate period of 180 days, the competent authority on the merits of any representation made by any allottee can either extend the period of 180 days or cancel the allotment.
Moreover, under the Jammu and Kashmir Public Premises (Eviction of Unauthorized Occupants) Act, the lessor is authorized and empowered to take and initiate eviction proceedings against the lessee in case of breach of any of the terms and conditions.
Keeping all these provisions of the Industrial Policy and J&K Public Premises (Eviction of Unauthorized Occupants) Act, Divisional Level Single Window Clearance Committee in its 21st meeting held in the month of April this year decided to cancel the allotment of land in case of those plots which are lying vacant or wherein the allottees have failed to take any effective steps as per the details submitted by the respective General Managers of the District Industries Centres (DICs), sources said.
At that time it was stated that due to this step, land measuring 101 kanals at IID Govindsar Kathua and 2.5 kanals of land at Bari Brahmana would become available for the prospective entrepreneurs, which is otherwise lying blocked and unused, sources informed.
However, before this decision could take practical shape influential persons, who have failed to make use of industrial plots allotted to them, prevailed upon the Government and got the exercise vis-à-vis cancellation of un-used industrial plots stalled, sources said.
Accordingly, the Under Secretary to Government, Industries and Commerce Department issued a communication No.IND/DIC-36/2015 to Managing Director, SIDCO, Director Industries and Commerce, Jammu/ Kashmir and Managing Director, SICOP restraining them from cancellation of un-used industrial plots.
“I am directed to convey the administrative approval for extension of three months time to all such land allottees in the Industrial Estates in whose case cancellation of allotment of land has been issued by the competent authority in SIDCO, SICOP and DICs”, reads the communiqué issued by Under Secretary to Government, Industries and Commerce Department. It further reads: “Three months extension in time be given with effect from the date on which the cancellation of allotment would become absolute. This dispensation will apply to cancellation of allotment orders issued on or after March 1, 2015”.
Through this order albeit vague on various aspects, entire process of retrieving industrial plots from those, who otherwise have no intention to establish industrial units and contribute in the industrial growth of the State, got stalled, sources said, adding “on one side huge number of industrial plots across the State are lying unused during the past quite long time and on the other side budding entrepreneurs, who really want to contribute in the industrial growth of the State, are being deprived of the same on the ground of non-availability of plots”.
According to the sources, SIDCO and SICOP authorities are unaware of the number of plots remaining unused during the past quite long time. “This indicates that either they are intentionally playing spoilsport in industrial growth or are hand-in-glove with those allottees, who had obtained land only for investment purpose”, sources added.
“There is no point in making tall claims about initiating required steps for industrial growth when Government either maintains blind eye towards unused industrial plots or creates obstacles in cancellation of allotment and subsequent allotment to budding entrepreneurs, who are hankering for such plots during the past quite long time”, sources said.

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