ROURKELA: With industrial growth in and around Rourkela hitting a roadblock due to scarcity of land, there is a growing demand for a holistic approach from the government to build a business-friendly ecosystem for new generation entrepreneurs.
Industry sources said land has increasingly become scarce in the Steel City. For promotion of new businesses, the government should act fast to ensure availability of land. For this, IDCO, IPICOL, Revenue department and the Sundargarh administration have to work in tandem.
During his visit to Rourkela in February and October last year, Principal Advisor to Chief Minister and chariman of Western Odisha Development Council ( WODC) Asit Tripathy had instructed the District Industrial Promotion Agency (DIPA) to explore possibilities of further industrial growth in Sundargarh. Laying stress on strengthening industry promotion agencies IDCO and IPICOL, Tripathy had said the district administration should provide all possible support - land, water and power - to the entrepreneurs.
He had also mooted for sector-wise economic spin-offs for local wealth creation and asked the administration to identify land along Deo river in Kuanrmunda and Nuagaon blocks, adjacent to Rourkela.
President of Rourkela Chamber of Commerce and Industry (RCCI) Pravin Garg said Sundargarh being a Schedule V district, the ban on sale or transfer of land of ST/SC people is a major hurdle for business and industrial growth. A fortnight back, a delegation of RCCI had met the Union Minister for Tribal Affairs Bisweswar Tudu over the issue.
“The Minister was requested to allow relaxation on use of land of affluent and educated ST/SC persons.
This would allow the ST/SC people to take conscious decision on use of their land for commercial or industrial purposes for mutual benefit,” he said.
Sources said though a new industrial estate spreading over 132 acre is coming up at Riu of Kuanrmunda, the approach road is too narrow for movement of heavy vehicles.
Garg informed that the RCCI has been urging the government to set up truck terminals at Lathikata, Beldihi and Kuanrmunda. If the terminals come up, entry of heavy vehicles into Rourkela would be restricted and new economic avenues would come up at these places.