RAIPUR: The Chhattisgarh government has cancelled 158 memoranda of understanding (MoUs), signed between different departments and companies between 2001 and 2018, after no progress was made in their execution, an official said on Friday.
According to an official statement, of the 158 MoUs, 103 were signed during the Global Investors' Meet in 2012 during the tenure of the Raman Singh-led BJP government in the state.
The decision in this regard was taken during the 15th meeting of the State Investment Promotion Board chaired by Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel here on Thursday, the official said.
During the meeting, a review of 158 MoUs, including 55 signed between 2001 and 2018 and 103 during the Global Investors' Meet 2012, revealed that no action was taken for their execution, following which these agreements were terminated, he said.
As per the statement, at least 211 MoUs for capital investment of Rs 3,03,115 crore were signed between 2001 and 2018, but the actual investment was limited to Rs 78,776.36 crore.
Of these 211 MoUs, production has started under 67 agreements and implementation process is underway in 61 MoUs, while projects were yet to start under 55 MoUs, which have now been cancelled, the release stated.
Similarly, apart from 211 MoUs, at least 275 MoUs were signed at the Global Investors' Meet for capital investment of over Rs 93,830 crore, but the actual investment of Rs 2,003.
59 crore was made, it said.
Of these contracts, works under 25 projects have been started after site selection, while the remaining 103 MoUs have been cancelled by the board due to inaction, it said.
As many as 115 MoUs have been signed since 2019 under the Baghel-led government with the proposed capital investment of Rs 46,937 crore, and of these, implementation of projects under 92 agreements have started and production has started in one of the projects, the release said.
The Chief Minister has directed officials to examine and approve the capital investment proposals for setting up units for ethanol production from maize and sugarcane in the state, it said.
He also directed to constitute two committees to address problems faced by all industries.
To address policy-related issues, a committee headed by the state industry minister should be constituted, while a panel should be formed under the chairmanship of the chief secretary for attend to concerns about project implementation, Baghel said.
These committees will work to expedite the setting up of agro-based and iron and mineral-based industries in the Bastar region, he added.