Industrial units resent processing fee hike by Idco

Industrial units operating in the industrial estates of the state have taken exception to the move of Orissa Industrial Infrastructure Development Corporation (Idco) to raise the processing and transfer fees.

Idco, through a circular dated December 3, 2009, proposed to increase the processing fee from Rs 1,000 to Rs 10,000 and mutual transfer fee from 10 per cent to 25 per cent of the cost of land and building.

The industrialists complained that the fee hike will adversely impact the growth of the units operating in the industrial estates and demanded its immediate withdrawal. Stating that there is not even a single modern industrial estate in Orissa, they demanded the upgradation of the existing complexes, development of industrial estates under the Industrial Infrastructure Development Scheme and development of new industrial estates at industrial hubs.

They have also called for conversion of lease hold land and shed to free hold categories as has been done by other states of the country.

These demands were made at a 'Open House Session' held here on the concluding day of the Sixth Entrepreneurs' Week. The session organized by the Industrial Promotion and Industrial Corporation of Orissa Ltd (Ipicol) was attended by the policy makers, bankers and noted entrepreneurs of the state. Speaking on the occasion, Pattnaik, chairman and managing director, Idco said, “The allocation for the Industrial Infrastructure Development Fund will be doubled in this year's budget. Idco has identified a new industrial estate at Dhamnagar in Bhadrak district and growth centres in Jharsuguda, Kalinganagar and Kesinga.”

“We have asked all the district collectors to create land banks fro industrial projects. Idco is in the process of acquiring an additional five acres of land at Khurda to promote the food processing sector. We are also acquiring land for the proposed aluminium park at Angul”, he added.

On ancillary development, he said, “JSL (formerly Jindal Stainless Ltd) is keen on developing a downstream park spread over 300 acres of land at Kalinganaga. Adhunik Metaliks has also evinced interest in setting up a downstream stainless park and Idco is acquiring land for this purpose at Kuarmunda near Rourkela.”

Meanwhile, the entrepreneurs in the SME (Small and Medium Enterprise) sector have suggested that the large industrial units and the Central public sector undertakings should be asked to implement their vendor and ancillary development programme with the existing SMEs.

Referring to the anomalies in the Value Added Tax (VAT) between Orissa and other states, the SME entrepreneurs said, “There is a huge disparity in VAT rates between Orissa and its neighbouring states. This makes it difficult for the SMEs to have wider market access. This anomaly in VAT should be sorted out and the tax rate should be made at par with the neighbouring states.” On One Time Settlement (OTS) policy of the Orissa State Financial Corporation (OSFC), the entrepreneurs said, “The existing OTS policy of OSFC may be extended by another six months from the date of notification. Moreover, all loans extended by OSFC should be covered by OTS scheme and all dues as well as repayment should be clubbed together for arriving at the settlement account.