Uttarakhand orders SIT probe into industrial scams

Uttarakhand Chief Minister Trivednra Singh Rawat has ordered a probe by the Special Investigative Team (SIT) into the alleged scams of some developmental works related to two key industrial estates in Kumaon region.

All these works were carried out during the previous Congress government, a senior government official said.

An audit report by the government in 2017 had found many irregularities in the works, the contracts for which were mostly given to a public sector enterprise (PSU) of the Uttar Pradesh government.

"We have been asked to set up a SIT to probe the alleged scams of the two industrial estates," said Ashok Kumar, the Director General of Police (DGP).

After the Congress government was formed in 2012, the Sitarganj and Kashipur industrial estates were set up.

The State Infrastructure and Industrial Development Corp of Uttarakhand Ltd (SIDCUL), a state government enterprise which is credited for developing the mega Pantnagar and Haridwar industrial estates, had invested Rs 400-500 crore in Sitarganj and Kashipur industrial estates to develop the state-of-the-art infrastructure facilities.

The Sitarganj industrial estate had been officially christened as SIDCUL-Phase-II, which is spread over an area of 1,700 acres.

Under the mega industrial policy, the government had offered various sops including 50 percent rebate on the stamp fees, 1 percent relief in central sales tax (CST) and a host of other incentives.

Some industries have already set up units at Sitarganj.

--IANS

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