Raghubar Das pitches 'Make in Jharkhand'

Jharkhand Chief Minister Raghubar Das on Tuesday said 'Make in Jharkhand' would be an important cog in the wheel of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's 'Make in India' initiative.

Speaking at the Business Standard Jharkhand Round Table, Das said multiple factors such as promoting micro, small and medium enterprises (SMEs), availability of a land bank, improved law and order and a single-window clearance policy would help promote the state as a manufacturing hub.

Opportunities for the state were "endless", Das said. "Jharkhand is known for its rich mineral resources, but no state can develop depending on a singular aspect. So, we have given equal focus to agriculture, industry and information technology."

Jharkhand, which has signed a record number of memoranda of understanding through the past decade, failed to take the projects forward due to problems in land acquisition. Now, the state is trying to address this issue.

"In eight months, we have created a land bank that is available district-wise and you can see it online," Das said.

While welcoming major corporate groups, Das made it clear that priority would be given to SMEs. "The government wants to prioritise small- and medium-scale industries, as this sector provides big gains with very low investment," he said.

For starters, automobile major Tata Motors has been instructed to source material from the small and medium manufacturing units of Adityapur, the state's largest auto ancillary hub. Under the Jharkhand industrial policy, large public and private industries in the state are directed to give preference to local small-scale industries while sourcing materials.

Das said for greater facilitation of the sector, bi-monthly meetings would be organised between SMEs and corporate bosses. He also advised SMEs to pay attention to quality, as major industries were extremely quality-conscious.

Acknowledging bureaucratic hurdles was a major reason why industrialists were sceptical of investing in the state, Das said major steps had been taken to address this.

"We have turned red tapes into red carpet for industry and, as instructed by the central government, we have initiated a single-window clearance policy for the state in just eight months. Now, people don't have to run from pillar to post for approval," he said.

On Tuesday, the Jharkhand government launched a portal for single-window clearances, under the Jharkhand Industrial Facilitation and Single Window Clearance ordinance, 2015. Asked about the law and order situation in the state, the chief minister said 24-hour highway patrol was being set up, with police pickets at every 20 km. "Law and order in the state has improved significantly and we have been able to curb terrorism," he said. Das added he was open to suggestions from investors. "An industrialist can reach me and his problem will be solved soon."