Title - Take budgetary steps for industry development: CII - The Times of India

JAIPUR: In its wish list for the state budget 2013-14, the Chamber of Indian Industry (CII) has recommended a number of initiatives aimed at giving a fillip to industrialization and further deepening inclusive development.

The industry body feels that the government needs to take efforts for enhancing state's visibility and must create a strategy to market Rajasthan as a potential investment destination in various parts of India and abroad.

CII said the government also needs to actively pursue for an electronic manufacturing cluster under M-SIPS. The Centre has shortlisted 22 possible clusters out of which five zones have to be notified under clause 5.3. One of the probable clusters can be notified on the Jaipur-Bhiwadi-Neemrana-Udaipur corridor. Rajasthan is a water scarce state and setting up of an electronics cluster, which requires less water, will be an added advantage, it said.

Further, CII said the government order to the public works department (PWD) not to purchase steel from MSME units in Rajasthan is hurting the companies. "CII has always advocated the idea of quality in industries. It is not desirable that units of Rajasthan are debarred from business by state government departments. Looking at the overall interest of the state, we strongly urge the government to reconsider the decision and withdraw the order," said Dileep Baid, chairman, CII-Rajasthan.

On public undertakings procuring spares parts and equipment to the tune of thousands of crores, the industry body said registration procedure of state-based organizations, which manufacturing the spare parts, is tough, complicated and resistive. "If the state industries directorate helps in this matter by establishing a special cell to assist the eligible SMEs in getting registered with any of the public undertakings like Railways, aviation and defence, it will give a tremendous boost to the manufacturing sector," said Nitin Gupta, director & head, CII-Rajasthan.

The industry body's wish list also included creating land banks, time-bound conversion of land use and reduction in stamp duty, among others.