RAIPUR: Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel announced several initiatives for boosting up the industrial sector and certain achievements which have already been accomplished by the state government in other core sectors including farming and automobile sectors.
Chief Minister on Friday addressed the industrial and commercial representatives at the program organised by Chhattisgarh Chamber of Commerce and Industry in capital city Raipur.
In a major announcement, Baghel asserted that farmers' loans in the state, worth Rs 10 thousand crores have been waived off. "Farmers have been provided with a bonus of Rs 6,000 crore after procurement of paddy at the rate of Rs 2,500 per quintal," he added.
"State government is committed towards the development of industrial sector alongside agriculture sector in Chhattisgarh. Core sector industries such as steel and cement would be promoted in the state. Presently, these industries have been kept in the prohibited list. Soon they would be removed from the prohibited list," said Baghel in his speech.
In another big announcement, Baghel asserted that the land allotment rates in the industrial areas will be reduced by 30 per cent. In addition, the land would be provided at cheaper rates, capital, interest subsidy, tax rebates, and several other benefits would also be provided for the establishment of the food processing, minor forest produce, and herbal based industries.
New policy including these announcements will be formulated within two months. In another pronouncement, Baghel said, "Single window system would be facilitated to provide all kinds of approval for establishing industries in the state, within the prescribed time-limit. Presently, applications for setting up industries are not being accepted because of the unavailability of land."
New applications would be collected in all the district industrial centres and lands would be allotted by the Industrial Department on the first-come-first-serve basis. Baghel further added that industries which are being operated in the state for more than ten years in the area up to two hectares would be given a freehold.
"Warehouses operating in industrial areas will be regularised. Transfer fees of industrial land will be reduced and the process would be simplified. For the industries that were not set up despite the availability or allotment of land, time-limit of one year would be given as a last chance. After that land would be taken back on allotment rates and would be allotted to other eligible entrepreneurs," said Baghel.
Presently, it is mandatory for small entrepreneurs to get their Gumasta license issued even if they have one labourer employed under them, this limit for a minimum number of labourers would be increased to ten, said Baghel.
Last but not least, Baghel adduced that Chhattisgarh is the only state, which has recorded growth in the automobile sector.
He asserted that in August 2018, there were 37 thousand 518 registrations of vehicles recorded in the state and in August 2019 registration of 41 thousand 393 vehicles has been recorded, which is 10.32 per cent more than the previous year.