The Orissa government plans to frame a Special Investment Region (SIR) policy for the development of special investment regions near upcoming ports in the state such as Dhamara in Bhadrakh district.
To take this forward, the state-owned Industrial Infrastructure Development Corporation (Idco) is in the process of appointing a consultant to conduct detail feasibility study.
The proposal to set up a SIR at Dhamara and the appointment of a consultant to take up the detail feasibility study and draft the SIR policy is likely to be placed before the project development committee (PDC) headed by the chief secretary Tarun Kanti Mishra for approval. The meeting of the PDC is slated to be held this week.
Different models of SIR Act prevailing in states like Gujarat, Andhra Pradesh and Uttar Pardesh would be studied by the consultant and the best possible policy will be drafted keeping in view the local conditions.
“We intend to frame a policy for the development of the Special Investment Regions (SIRs) in the state. A consultant will be appointed to assist the government in formulating the policy”, a senior official of the state industry department told Business Standard.
Sources said, the SIR policy in the state will take a cue from the SIR Act of Gujarat, which emphasizes on development of SIRs near the ports. The proposed policy will have provisions for Industrial Area Development Authority in line with the Greater Noida Development Authority (GNDA), infrastructure planning and zoning among others.
The consultant, after studying the contemporary models in operation in other parts of the country, will suggest the policy framework and the required legal changes in the existing system for implementation of the policy.
At the same time, the consultant will take the required precaution to avoid uneven and haphazard growth like the one that happened in Paradeep.
Despite being a major port and many other industries coming up in Paradeep, no major township or civic area could be developed there.
Meanwhile, the state government is in the process of finalising a new export policy for the state. The draft export policy pitches for various fiscal incentives to the exporters.
These benefits include introduction of Export Development Assistance Scheme (EDAS) for providing financial assistance to the exporting units to participate in the international trade fair, incentive for publicity and exposure, sourcing the export credit from the banks among others.
Besides, a Special Economic Zone (SEZ) policy for the state is also on the anvil, sources added.
