SRINAGAR: Industrialists from outside Jammu and Kashmir had already set up over 500 units in the state before the provision for leasing out land to non-state subjects for industrial purposes led to stalling of the New Industrial Policy last month.
About 545 industrial units have so far been established in the state by outsiders, government data say. Most of these units (498) are in Jammu division, and 47 in Kashmir division.
As many as 32,387 industrial units have been established across the state, out of which 12,380 are in Jammu while 20,007 are in Kashmir. The state subjects (permanent residents of Jammu and Kashmir) have established 11,882 industrial units in Jammu and 19,960 in Kashmir Division.
The State Industrial Policy 2016, announced in March, had a provision to lease land for setting up industrial units even to non-state subjects. However, after an uproar, the state government said it would review the policy and put the provision on hold.
The opposition parties, civil society, traders and separatists had opposed the policy contending such provisions would harm the state's special status as guaranteed under Article 370 of the Constitution.