State to approve setting up of pvt industrial parks on 5 acres of land instead of 20

Kolkata: With an aim to make Bengal the number one in industry and commerce, the state government has decided to approve setting up of private industrial parks on even five acres of land in Kolkata and its surrounding Howrah, North and South 24-Parganas districts.

In a bid to further encourage investors to set up industrial parks, the state government has also decided to give the assured incentive in three phases after successful completion of each stage of work to develop a park instead of disbursing it only after completion of the entire project. The move comes when the state government has set a target of setting up 100 industrial parks in the state in 2021-22 fiscal.

The state government had come up with a private industrial park policy in 2014. According to that, the state government can give sanction and incentive to an entrepreneur to set up a park only if it comes up on 20 acres of land and above in Kolkata and its surrounding areas, including Howrah, North and South 24-Parganas. Assessing that it is becoming difficult to get such big plots, the Cabinet led by Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Monday gave its nod to allow setting up of private industrial parks in these areas even on only five acres as well.

The investors would also be getting 20 per cent, 30 per cent and 50 per cent of the state government's incentive during three stages of completion of setting up of the industrial parks.

Announcing the Cabinet decision, Chief Secretary HK Dwivedi said: "The initiatives would further encourage more investors to set up industrial parks in the state."

Different units related to the sectors, including warehouse, logistics, cold storage, poultry and fisheries can also be set up at the industrial parks with the Cabinet allowing the amendment in the existing policy. "This has been done as the warehouse and logistic industry is currently booming in the state. At the same time, the state government is also eyeing to become self-sufficient in egg and fish production," the Chief Secretary said.

In case, any existing park has expanded, the state government would also sanction the same up to 2 acres in Kolkata, Howrah, North and South 24-Parganas and 5 acres in remaining parts of the state.

In a bid to make the process of getting all sorts of clearances easier, the state government has also started a single-window system for the MSME sector.

In another major development, the state government has decided not to consider excavation of soil up to 1.5 metres for brick manufacturing under mining activity. It would ensure bringing the brick kilns under proper regulation and a group of ministers has also been set up to frame a regulation for the same. The decision will also ensure that the activities at the brick kiln don't get delayed for issues related to environmental clearances. There are around 5,635 registered brick kilns in the state.