Silchar: Malinibeel Industrial area yet to be developed

Special Correspondent

Silchar: The plan and estimate for starting an Integrated Infrastructure Development Centre (IIDC) at Malinibeel near this town were drawn up in 1991 by some enthusiastic entrepreneurs which were approved for implementation by the then Vajpayee government in 1999.

The centre gave priority to it considering its potentiality. Thereafter, Assam Industrial Development Corporation (AIDC) was entrusted with the responsibility for giving proper shape to it. In fact, the IID center is a highly sophisticated and environment-friendly center designed to provide infrastructure facilities of a high standard in order to promote and strengthen small-scale industries.

The total project cost is Rs.510.00 lakh and the total area of the center is 90 bighas. This center is well connected by rail, road, air, and waterways. It is a government of India sponsored project and AIDC is the sole implementing agency which will look after management as well as maintenance. As pointed out by Dipak Ranjan Paul, general secretary, Barak Valley Industries Association, infrastructure facilities like connectivity, power, industrial plots, and sheds have been made available to the entrepreneurs. But, other facilities like sufficient water through its own supply system, communications with telephone exchange and internet facilities, central effluent plant as well as a bank, post office, fire protection system, training center, testing laboratories are yet to be provided.

Roshanlal Sethia, president of the Association, said there are thrust areas which have been identified taking into account the availability of local raw materials and domestic market potential. Within this center, the prospect of food processing, agro-based products, bamboo, cane industries, handicraft industries, plastic and rubber industries, engineering and electronic industries among others are coming up. Besides, it will accommodate any viable and potential unit and extend infrastructure facilities. The center has an immense prospect as the Central government under its Act East Policy is offering subsidy on transport and capital investment, exemption of excise duty and income tax, central interest subsidy on working capital. In addition, the units will be eligible to get the state incentives under Assam Industrial Policy.

Despite all the prospect and propensity, both the president and the general secretary of the Association regretted that the center could not be totally functional as there exists a lot of deficiencies which have been elaborated in a memorandum submitted to the Minister of Industries and Commerce, government of Assam recently. They have requested him to visit the IID center to access the actual position in the interest of the entrepreneurs. The memorandum has been necessitated as AIDC has issued notices to some of the entrepreneurs who could not commence commercial operation till date.