TSiPass to open gates for new industries

HYDERABAD: As part of government's initiative to attract investments in the state, the Telangana Assembly unanimously passed Telangana State Industrial Project Approval And Self Certification System (TS-iPASS) Bill, which mandates officials to issue all the clearances required to set up an industry within 30 days at a single-point clearance system.

The state government had kept 2.75 lakh acres of land for industries out of which 20,000 acres are readily made available with Telangana State Indutrial Infrastructure Corporation (TSIIC). Chief minister K Chandrasekhar Rao on Thursday introduced new policy bill in the state Assembly.

The Bill also seeks to create a Telangana state-wide Investment Facilitation Board (T-SWIFT) to be chaired by the chief secretary to deal with clearances for mega projects. District-level committees will clear projects other than mega projects under a similar system.

The T-SWIFT Board will pursue clearances with departments through the nodal officer and the approvals arranged through the T-SWIFT Board would be final and binding on the departments.

The government also introduced a provision of 'Right To Clearances under TS-iPASS' to enable the applicant to know the reasons for the delay besides imposing penalties on the designated officers of the competent authority.

This new industrial policy not only ensures time-bound permissions but also provides government assistance to the entrepreneurs in setting-up industries without any hurdles, he said.

Stating that unavailability of power in the state was a major problem, Rao said the government was taking steps to address it.

The state government would create SME clusters near all mega projects so that they also get their share in various projects, the chief minister said.

He said stamp duty for land registration for small and medium scale industries has been completely waived. Similarly, industries set up with Rs 200 crore and provide employment to 1000 or more persons will be given Mega Project status that enable them to avail some other incentives and subsidies to be announced by the government soon.

The state government was planning to create industrial corridor from Hyderabad to Warangal, Bengaluru, Mancherial, Nalgonda and Khammam in the first phase, he said.

In the second phase a similar corridor wouls be taken up between Hyderabad and Mahbubnagar. Stating that his government want to make Warangal a textile hub, Rao said a textile park would be set up in Warangal.

Stating that his government had increased the budget for industries, Rao said the budget for Industries and Commerce Department in 2013-14 for combined state was Rs 953 crore which was now enhanced to Rs 1,165 crore. An amount of Rs 100 crore has been allocated to TSIIC for infrastructure development, he said.

Congress member J Geeta Reddy, while welcoming the new industrial policy, asked the chief minister to ensure power to the state as it was very crucial for attracting investment.

TDP floor leader Erabelli Dayakar Rao asked the chief minister to revive Eturunagaram and Khagaznagar paper mills.