Assocham urges state to facilitate land for projects

Industry body Associated Chambers of Commerce and Industry of India (Assocham) has asked the West Bengal government to play a role in acquisition of land for industrial purpose.

“As an industry body, our opinion is that the government should not shy away from acting as a facilitator in land acquisition for industrial projects. If they are not doing it, future investments in the state will get affected,” said D S Rawat, Secretary General of Assocham. He added that the message that was conveyed to the world outside through Tata group’s moving out of Singur to Sanand in Gujarat was negative and the new government should work to create a good atmosphere for investors.

Echoing his words, the industry body’s eastern India chairman, Sunil Kanoria said that to discuss these issues, the body will organise a summit in the 15th of this month, with participation from various industrialists.

The body has signed a memorandum of understanding with the United Nations Industrial Development Organisation for setting up a cluster of food and agro-industries in West Bengal. “The agreement is to set up food and agro-related clusters in two districts of West Bengal. I was in Vienna the last recently for this and we have asked the state government to identify two districts in which they want to set up these clusters in public private partnership model,” Rawat said. As per the agreement, UNIDO will offer the technology and financial assistance for the clusters.

Meanwhile, Kanoria has asked for a single-window clearance as far as rehabilitation of sick units are concerned. “We have appointed two consultants in Kolkata and Delhi to look into the issue of merger of sick units. Like the state’s proposed single-window clearance system for industrial projects, we want it for sick units too,” he said.

The body has also proposed for the creation of 17 clusters in the state and Rawat said that the response from the part of state government and the planning commission is positive.