PUNE: The proposed 5,000 hectare special economic zone (SEZ) project near the city can benefit from the new policy of the state government announced on Thursday, which provides for conversion of slow moving SEZs into integrated industrial areas.
"The state government has introduced an integrated industrial areas (IIA) policy, which allows conversion of existing non-starter SEZs into IIAs and get 60% of the total land for industrial development. This policy is applicable to all private SEZs, including the Bharat Forge Limited's proposed one near Pune," Bhushan Gagrani, chief executive officer of the Maharashtra Industrial Development Corporation, told TOI.
The earlier guidelines for
SEZ had divided the total land equally into industrial and residential zones, he added.
Pradeep Bhargava, chairman of the Confederation of Indian Industry's western region and director, Cummins Generator Technologies India Ltd, said that one of the mainstays of the policy was creation of integral industrial townships and the exit plan for SEZs which envisaged release of denotified SEZ land which was proposed to be converted into integrated industrial townships. This addressed one of the most crucial issues of land availability for industry.
"We are happy that the chief minister has stuck to his commitment that he had made at a recent interaction with CII members on creation of new economic hubs and special township projects," he added.
Gagrani said, "The earlier policy of the Union government for SEZs stipulated 50% land for industries and 50% for residential and commercial purposes. The SEZs were more or less non-starters. Hence, we changed the policy slightly and gave 10% more to industries.
This policy is applicable to all private SEZs in the state and the developer will have to approach the government to avail of the benefits of the new policy."
"The state government, in its revised industrial policy, has decided to develop the industrial areas as industrial townships like the ones in Jamshedpur, Bhilai and Bokaro. Once the township is made part of industrial development, 20% of the houses - that are to be built by the developer - will have to be reserved for economically weaker section.
Thus the workers in manufacturing units can get homes at affordable rates," said Manu Kumar Shrivastava, principal secretary, state urban development department and state industrial department (additional charge).
The new industrial policy released on Thursday states that 30% of the total area of the industrial township has to be reserved for houses.
This will allow developers of SEZs to virtually exit their original projects and build industrial parks, including residential townships, Shrivastava said. Sixty per cent of the total area will have industrial activities, mostly manufacturing and engineering activities.
Shrivastava added, "We had observed that wages of workers and labourers are comparatively lower than those in other sectors. So, their capacity to spend money for houses is also low. In such a situation, if a manufacturing company sets up its plant, the vacant plots near it turns into 'gunthewari' houses or slums. To avoid it, the state has offered an exit route for the SEZs. As per the rules of the urban development department, 20% of the total houses will be reserved for economically weaker section, where the labourer community will get assured homes with basic amenities."
Another 10% of the total township area is reserved for schools, colleges, shopping centres and other amenities. This will save a lot of travel time and money of the people, Shrivastava added.
The total land acquired for various SEZs in the state is close to 80,000 acre. Of which 25,000 acre will be available for constructing homes according to the new policy.
The state will soon release 'special development control regulations', which will elaborate on the need of 20% reservation for the economically weaker sections, Shrivastava said. The townships developed along with industries are known for their cleanliness and proper management of facilities.
When contacted, another senior official from the urban development department said that slums have been a major headache for the state government.
There are many industrial zones, surrounded by slums. Some workers of the companies live in slums, while others work with the small companies that manufacture various parts for the parent company. Once a slum is established on a plot, you cannot vacate the plot and it creates problems for industries as well as for the state, said the official.
Source : timesofindia.indiatimes.com