By: K.V. Kurmanath
With a promise to give quick, time-bound and transparent permissions to project proposals, the Telangana Government is going to release its new industrial policy later today. Chief Minister K Chandrasekhara Rao will present the salient features of the policy to an audience of about 2,000 industrialists specially invited for the event slated to be held at the Hyderabad International Convention Centre (HICC).
With lakhs of acres considered to be not suitable for agriculture and about a land bank of about 1.40 lakh acres in the State, the Government says it provides hassle-free environment, allowing them to focus on their core businesses.
At the heart of the policy is TS-iPASS (Telangana State Industrial Project Approval and Self-certification System) that calls for penal action against officials for delaying the process of applications. Mega projects would get permissions in 15 days.
The Industrial Policy framework, which was passed in the Assembly in November 2014, promises to offer minimum inspection and maximum facilitation.
The policy prescribes norms for giving permissions to Mega (with investments of Rs. 200 crore and above), large (Rs 10-Rs 200 crore) and small and medium project proposals.
The Government identified 14 core areas for a focused approach. The sectors include Life Sciences, Pharma, Information Technology, Aerospace, automobiles, textiles, minerals and transportation and logistics.
The policy comes out with special incentives for entrepreneurs belonging to women and SC and STs. It mandates the TS Industrial Infrastructure Corporation (TSIIC) to secure statutory clearances for the Industrial Parks. The Government also moots to develop Industrial Townships to make it easier to get to work.
TS-iPASS
The iPASS would have State level and district level committees to ensure smooth process in processing the applications and according permission.
Source: The Hindu