‘750 acres of land in Sedarapet to be used for industrial activity’
The Hindu
Govt. is waiting for assent from the Ministry of Home Affairs, says A. Namassivayam
The government had decided to utilise 750 acres of unused land at Sedarapet for industrial activity through the Pondicherry Industrial Promotion Development and Investment Corporation (PIPDIC), said Minister for Home A. Namassivayam, on Saturday.
Participating in the business session on ‘India@75 - Building Puducherry for a New World’, organised by the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII), Puducherry chapter, as part of its annual meeting, he said the land acquired for setting up a Special Economic Zone (SEZ) had been unused for the last 10 years.
After the Union Territory failed to get permission from the Centre to set up the SEZ, the territorial administration was looking into various options to utilise the land.
Since the allotment of land by the Industries Department to entrepreneurs for starting ventures involved complex procedures, the Cabinet has decided to promote the land for industrial activity through the PIPDIC, said Mr. Namassivayam, who also holds the Industries portfolio.
“In my recent meeting with the Union Home Secretary in New Delhi, the issue was discussed. Once the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) gives its assent, the land will be utilised to set up various kinds of industries, including pharmaceutical companies. The land could be also utilised to establish IT parks. A decision will be taken very soon by the Centre,” he said.
Extending all support to corporate houses for industrial promotion, the Minister said the government owed ₹25 crore to various industrial houses as incentives.
The amount was due from 2017, he said, adding that the government had decided to disburse ₹10 crore after approval from the Finance Department. The remaining would be provided in the next financial year, he added.