BERHAMPUR: The pace of industrialisation in Ganjam district has slowed down considerably in the last few years. Four of the district’s industrial hubs - Ankuli industrial estate, Haladiapadar Auto Nagar, Ambapua IT Park and Chhatrapur Seafood Park are facing a crisis. At Ankuli, only 41 of the 65 industrial units are functioning at present. As per Odisha Industrial Infrastructure Development Corporation (IDCO) sources said in the last few years, 34.538 acre land was allotted to 19 industries at the estate of which 10 are functioning and 3 have become defunct. Besides, owners of two industries have not yet utilised the land allotted to them for setting up of factories and four misutilised their land.
Haldiapadar Auto Nagar on the outskirts of Silk City is spread on 74.177 acre land and is the largest industrial hub in the district. A total of 48.361 acre out of 50.43 acre land was distributed to 450 entrepreneurs at the hub. However, only 117 units were set up of which 18 have become defunct. Source said 218 entrepreneurs, who were allotted land at the hub have not yet set up their units and four of them misutilised their quota.
The IT park at Ambapua spread over 4.970 acre land remains idle. No IT firm has yet come forward to set up its unit at the park. Similar is the plight of the industrial hub at Bhanjanagar, spread over 17.903 acre land. Only one unit has been set up at the hub. Sources said IDCO has issued show cause notices to 176 firms in three industrial areas including nine in Ankuli, three in Chhatrapur and 164 in Auto Nagar for not utilising the land allotted to them.
Despite the setbacks, the State Government has announced some big-ticket investments in the district. The construction of a seafood park at Basanaputi in Chatrapur block on one acre land at a cost of `5 crore has already started. Primary processing of seafood would be done at the park before it is dispatched to a seafood park at Deras.
Similarly, the State Government has sanctioned `20 crore for establishing an industrial hub at Barpali in Hinjili and 26 acre has been identified for the purpose. But the plot has not yet been transferred to IDCO. A food park over 50 acre land at Khasi Nuapada mouza near Kanisi in Rangeilunda block is also in the pipeline.