GIDC estates to house small units

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The Gujarat Industrial Development Corporation (GIDC) has drawn up plans to start work on at least 10 to 15 projects that would house small-scale industrial units in its existing estates. This apart, it is also planning to set up an electronic manufacturing zone near Sanand on more than 100 hectares of land.

The state government has indicated in this year's budget that it plans to promote small-scale units to set up shop in GIDC estates.

In the budget speech for 2014-15, state Finance Minister Saurabh Patel had said, "If there is a suitable vacant plot in the fully developed estates of GIDC, such vacant plots shall not be auctioned but multi-storeyed buildings shall be constructed on such plots for micro/small industrial units to start industries there. Keeping in view the availability of the space in existing estates, separate space shall be allotted to small units."

A senior state government official said on grounds of anonymity that GIDC, on its part, is planning to start work on 10-15 such projects for small-scale units. "We are waiting for the Government Resolution (GR) for the same before we formally start work. However, we are already in the process of identifying GIDC estates, particularly in the urban areas which are crowded and land costs are high, where we can develop projects to house small-scale units," he explained.

Typically, these plots would be 500-1,000 square metres in size, the official said.

The government has also outlined that, "Keeping in view the requirement, new special estates spread over an area up to 50 Ha shall be established by GIDC for micro/small units. In order that micro/small units get shed/plot at a reasonable rate in GIDC under the scheme, state government shall bear 50 per cent of the cost." Work on these would start soon as well, once the specific subsidy scheme was in place, the official said.

Meanwhile, GIDC has already started work on developing an electronic manufacturing zone on over 100 Ha at Khoraj, about 17 km from Sanand. The GIDC had bought around 1,300 Ha in the area last year to expand its industrial estate at Sanand. It now plans to use part of the land to set up a specific zone dedicated to electronic manufacturing. While talks are on with several companies, no deal has come through yet.