‘UPSIDC has been instrumental in accelerating the pace of industrial development of Uttar Pradesh’.
Uttar Pradesh with its inherent strengths has been a leader in the country’s industrial sector. With the third largest economy in India, Uttar Pradesh, contributing 8.4% to the country’s GDP, offers the largest consumer base with a population of 200 million in the working age group. The state is located in the Golden Quadrilateral and, with substantial Eastern and Western Dedicated Freight Corridors passing through and meeting in Uttar Pradesh, not only are industries from other states finding this as a preferred state, but overseas and foreign investors are also eager to make huge investments in various sectors in the state. Uttar Pradesh is committed to providing an investor-friendly business environment marked by transparency and speedy decision making, so that doing business in Uttar Pradesh is a rewarding experience. In a wide-ranging interaction with The Sunday Guardian, Ranvir Prasad, Managing Director, Uttar Pradesh State Industrial Development Corporation (UPSIDC), discussed many issues. Excerpts:
Q: How would you comment on the journey of Uttar Pradesh State Industrial Development Corporation (UPSIDC) in the last 56 years in the industrial development of the state?
A: The vision of UPSIDC is to provide an enabling environment to existing industries for global expansion and growth and to attract new investments with ICT enablement, simplification of existing procedures and time-bound approvals, so that Uttar Pradesh is looked upon as a globally competitive and industry friendly destination, and thereby contribute towards the overall economy of the state and the nation.
The core job of UPSIDC is land acquisition all across the state for establishment of industrial areas and Integrated Industrial Townships. UPSIDC has been fostering industrial promotion in the state and has been instrumental in accelerating the pace of development of the state for several decades now. Providing contemporary infrastructure facilities and services to entrepreneurs as our objective, we strive to build on our strength as a pillar of the pulsating industrial ecosystem of Uttar Pradesh that contributes towards the economic development of the state in particular and the country in general.
UPSIDC has more than 150 industrial areas in approximately 43,788.54 acres of land across Uttar Pradesh and close to 30,000 plots, big and small, have been allotted for setting up industrial units. With demand for industrial land increasing, we have taken several steps to make industrial land available for new investments. We have taken steps to ensure that land being held up by speculators in our industrial areas is freed up and made available to new entrepreneurs and they get utilised.
Q: How is UPSIDC contributing to Ease of Doing Business in the state?
A: As I mentioned earlier, the primary aim of the state government is to ensure Ease of Doing Business for all. The Single Window System being developed ends many windows inside a single window. UPSIDC has created its system to gel with the vision of the state government to ensure that investors do not face any hurdle. An online single generic service framework has been designed for Investor-centric Service Delivery System. This is a major step towards technology enhancements, moving from offline mode towards online digital office. As a part of this Investor-centric Service Delivery System, we have implemented an e-allotment process through which the entrepreneurs can apply for allotment online.
We have defined objective criteria for evaluation of applications for allotment. This process has helped us to get rid of the interview process. This facility for online applications and easy allotment process has attracted investments worth Rs 6,000 crore since April 2017. We have also implemented online Building Plan Approval System with simplified scrutiny procedure. It is being ensured that all inspection reports are uploaded on our website within 48 hours of execution.
To hear out more from our allottees and investors, UPSIDC has come out with a robust system through their website www.onlineupsidc.com which not only facilitates investors with a hassle-free online allotment process, but also assists the investors in availing various information such as land availability, GIS mapped industrial areas, Building Regulations and other important orders with a single click. Our entire land bank is available online. The GIS web interface of UPSIDC has led to an enterprise level solution by facilitating certain tools like real-time status for each plot in every Industrial Area, including size of the plots, vacant plot details, and if the plot is allotted, then current occupancy details, product being manufactured etc.
To bring transparency, efficiency and accountability in its procurement system and allotment of construction works, UPSIDC has implemented the e-tender system—an online solution to convert tedious procurement process into an economical, transparent and more secure system that covers the entire process such as enrolment of officials and bidders, tender creation and publishing, publishing of corrigendum, online bid submission/resubmission, automatic evaluation of the financial bid, award of the contract etc.
Q: What is the role of UPSIDC in integrating the “Make in UP” programme on the lines of the “Make in India” initiative?
A: As far as “Make in India” and “Make in UP” are concerned, the UPSIDC plays a pivotal role in investment promotion through allotment of land to industries. Allotment of land has now become an open-ended process available 24×7. Uttar Pradesh has the largest number of MSMEs across the country and I expect more investments from industries like Information Technology, ITeS, electronics manufacturing, agro and food processing, dairy, green energy, handloom, defence, chemical and textile industry, as the state government has announced many incentives in its new policies in these sectors.
We have identified various pockets of land available with us, which can be provided to industries for establishing sector-specific clusters such as Defence, Agro and Food Processing, and the Electronic Manufacturing Cluster.
Q: How is UPSIDC geared up to meet the expectations of modern-day entrepreneurs and industry?
A: To cater to modern demands of high-tech quality infrastructure, the corporation has ventured into many new areas by developing High-Tech Integrated Industrial Townships, like Trans Ganga and Saraswati High-tech cities and also sector specific industrial areas like Plastic city, Agro Parks, Apparel Park, Leather Park for industries to set up their units.
Apart from this, UPSIDC has identified land near Agra for integrated developer to develop Single/Multi theme park/parks, Hotel Complex and Residential/Commercial Complex and also Chola Integrated Industrial City, Bulandshehr in the NCR as a green field project to be developed as smart-city. A Mega Food Park at Baheri is also being developed for Agro and Food Processing Industries, apart from agro parks at Barabanki, Varanasi and Khimsepur.
UPSIDC is further pursuing projects in core sectors like logistics to provide platform to create manifold investments for the state. The Logistics Park, along with an Integrated Manufacturing Cluster proposed at Bhaupur near Kanpur, shall open myriad opportunities for industries and bring employment for lakhs of people.
The mega leather cluster being set up at Kanpur would boost the already established leather sector of Kanpur. An integrated industrial township being envisaged at Chola near Bulandshahar would take development beyond NCR also.
To maintain the industrial areas in a better way, Special Purpose Vehicles (SPV) are being formed in the industrial areas of UPSIDC involving the local industry associations, resulting in better operation and maintenance of infrastructure facilities in the industrial area such as drainage, roads, green areas/parks etc. This will also encourage private sector participation.
As per this system, provisions shall be made to transfer the annual maintenance charges/ taxes collected from the industrial units to the SPV as per UPSIDC/local body (in case the industrial area has been handed over to local bodies) orders for the maintenance of the basic infrastructure of industrial area such as roads, storm water drain, drainage network, streetlight network, waste management etc. This shall ensure transparent and proper utilisation of maintenance funds in line with the demand of the allottees of the industrial areas, as local industry associations shall be the decision makers.
Q: Considering the fact that environment protection has become one of the prime concerns of everyone, what efforts are being done by UPSIDC to protect the environment and check pollution?
A: UPSIDC is committed to protecting the environment and taking measures for pollution control so as to comply with the provisions of the Water (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act 1974 and Environment Protection Act 1986.
UPSIDC plans to establish Effluent Treatment Plants (CETP), Sewage Treatment Plants (STP) and Solid Waste Management Schemes on PPP/BOT/BOOT basis at various Industrial Areas such as Trans Ganga Hi-Tech City, Kanpur; Saraswati HI-Tech City, Allahabad; Growth Center Jainpur, Kanpur; Trans Delhi Signature City (Tronica City), Ghaziabad, Mega Leather Cluster, Kanpur; Leather Park Agra. These shall help in keeping the environment clean and healthy.