Odisha approves creation of land bank for industries

The Odisha cabinet on Monday approved creation of a 100,000 acre land bank that will facilitate industries to set up their projects without any land hurdles, an official said.

The Odisha Industrial Infrastructure Development Corporation (IDCO), the nodal agency for land acquisition, would identify the land in several districts of the state for use of industrial purpose, said chief secretary G.C. Pati.

He said IDCO has already applied for alienation of 10,000 to 12,000 government land for industrial purposes.

The government has divided land allotment for land bank into two categories.

While land for immediate requirement for industrial infrastructure development would come under category-A, land to be reserved at the district level with collector for subsequent allotment to IDCO or industrial units would come under category B, said the chief secretary.

"Land under category-A shall be allotted to IDCO on long term basis with a moratorium on payment of premium for five years, or till the land or any part of thereof, is sub-leased by IDCO to the industries, whichever is earlier," said Pati.

For category-B land bank, IDCO may request the collector to reserve the suitable government land for industrial purpose. A district level committee headed by collector shall assess the requirement for other development projects of the government like health, educational institutions, said Pati.

Idco has accorded priority to districts like Jagatsingpur (Paradeep), Bhadrak (Dhamra), Cuttack, Khurda, Dhenkanal, Angul, Sundergarh(Rourkela), Jharsuguda, Jajpur (Kalinga Nagar) and Balasore for creation of land banks, said sources.

The government can resume the land if the leasehold land is not used for the industrial purpose for more than five years.

The cabinet also approved that the industries drawing water from reservoirs would contribute to Water Conservation Fund (WCF) in five equal installments in coming five years, beginning the current financial year.

The government has made a provision that industries drawing more than or equal one cusec of water would contribute deposit of Rs.2.5 crore per cusec of water allotted to the industries towards WCF.