Guj govt to promote rain water harvesting for industries

As part of the endeavour, the government is mulling to give special incentives to industrial units for rational use of natural resources. The government is likely to provide financial assistance to units using rain water harvesting system.

The recommendations made by the task force to the industries department include some special recommendations for rational use of various resources and it is likely that these recommendations would be implemented, said a member of the task force while adding that this was done since there would be a permanent shortage of natural resources like water and electricity.

Under the proposed policy, units using alternate raw materials in place of traditional ones would be given financial assistance up to 25 per cent of plant or project cost, the ceiling would be Rs 2 lakh.

Similarly, the task force has also recommended that units using innovative methods for reduction in energy consumption would be given 50 per cent and the ceiling for the same is Rs 1 lakh, while for reduction in water consumption the units are likely to receive 50 per cent with ceiling of Rs 2 lakh and while small units using rain water harvesting would get 50 percent within limit of Rs 1 lakh and big and medium size units might get the same amount as 25 per cent of the project cost.

The Government is also contemplating giving Rs 2 lakh as financial help to micro, medium and small units which are ready to set up desalination plants through cost effective innovative technology.

There would be a common facility up to 25 per cent without any ceiling. The task force has also recommended that units with better waste management through innovative technologies and those involved in pollution prevention and reduction would be given special incentives.

In the proposed policy, a maximum of Rs 15 lakh would be given for the period of maximum three years for Waste Information and Exchange Centers (Eco-Industrial Network). 60 per cent with ceiling of Rs 2 lakh would be given for exploring better ways for waste reuse and recycling, 50 per cent with ceiling of Rs 3 lakh would be disbursed for recycling of treated waste water for industrial use.