Mohinder Verma
JAMMU, Jan 14: The Government’s tall claims about laying required focus on industrialization in the backward and rural areas have turned hollow as four Industrial Estates established several years back have failed to yield desirable results till date due to improper planning and an amount of Rs 4.74 crore spent on development of the same has virtually become unfruitful expenditure.
Reliable sources told EXCELSIOR that with the objective to promote industrialization in the industrial backward areas of the State, the Government some years back started development of Industrial Estates in Gran area of Reasi district, Dandi area of Bhaderwah in Doda district, Sangrambhata in Kishtwar district and Dewal, Billawar in Kathua district.
An amount of Rs 4.74 crore was incurred on the development of these Industrial Estates—-Rs 66.89 lakh on Gran Reasi Industrial Estate, Rs 167.41 lakh on Dandi Industrial Estate, Rs 137.38 lakh on Dewal Industrial Estate and Rs 102.08 crore on Sangrambhata Industrial Estate, sources informed.
However, these Industrial Estates failed to achieve the objective behind their development and industrialization in these areas still remains a distant dream because of the non-serious approach adopted following their establishment, sources said, adding due to this the expenditure of Rs 4.74 crore has also been rendered unfruitful.
Stating that these Industrial Estates could not achieve the desired objective due to improper planning, sources said, “before development of these Industrial Estates no ground work was carried out to ascertain the potential for establishment of industrial units, availability of raw material and other allied factors”, adding “what to talk of having proper planning at the time of taking decision about establishment of these Industrial Estates even at the later stage this important aspect never received the due attention of those making tall claims about laying required focus on promotion of industries in backward areas”.
As far as Industrial Estate at Gran in Reasi district, which was developed three-four years back, is concerned, not even one plot has so far been allotted to the persons interested to set up industrial unit. “We could not make allotment of plots as Revenue Department has yet not transferred land to the Industries Department”, Krishan Lal, General Manager, District Industries Centre (DIC) Reasi said when contacted, adding “we have taken up the matter with the concerned authorities and hopefully the land will be transferred in near future”.
Similarly, no unit has been established in Industrial Estate at Dandi Bhaderwah till date mainly because of the fact that raw material and market aspects were not thoroughly pondered upon before development of Industrial Estate, sources said.
When approached, General Manager, DIC Doda, Dalmir Choudhary said, “we have made allotments to seven interested persons but none came forward for establishment of units”, adding “one person has raised a structure but the same is not being put to any use”.
As far as Industrial Estate at Sangrambhata is concerned, only two units have come up till date thereby indicating the pace with which the industrialization is taking place in backward and rural areas, sources informed.
According to Suresh Chander, General Manager, District Industries Centre Kishtwar, four more persons have shown interest in setting up of their units in the Industrial Estate. He, at the same time, said, “the Government is in the process of identifying 217 kanals more land for setting up of one more Industrial Estate”. He, however, could not specify as to what purpose identification and acquiring of more land would serve when the existing Industrial Estate has failed to yield desirable results.
“Similarly, the Industrial Estate at Dewal in Billawar area of Kathua district has failed to meet the objective behind its development”, sources said.
The fate of these Industrial Estates substantiates the news item carried by EXCELSIOR on December 25 mentioning that vital surveys are not being conducted for assessing the industrial potential, which is otherwise imperative before setting up of Industrial Estates.
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