RIICO launches eight new industrial areas

JAIPUR: Rajasthan State Industrial Development and Investment Corporation (RIICO) has launched eight new industrial areas in as many divisions of the state to facilitate local entrepreneurs to establish ventures using resources in their areas.
While presenting the Budget for 2023-24, chief minister Ashok Gehlot had announced to open 50 industrial zones in the current year. In the past two financial years, the state government has announced 96 industrial areas which are at various stages of development.
While the land plots would be allotted through auctions, preferential allotment is also on the cards.
In fact, RIICO has made a provision to allot plots in industrial areas to local entrepreneurs on preferential basis, although the number of plots would be limited.
In fact, the industry in the state has been expressing its concern over high land prices in the state on various platforms and has also written to the state government to reverse the process of auctions. With the auction system, the land prices become costlier.
While investors outside the state participate in the auctions keeping in view their projects, the local industry, which is mostly in the MSME sector, finds it unviable to match the prices.
A senior official in RIICO said that the new industrial areas in the divisions of the state would help local entrepreneurs to set up their industrial units.
They can use the local resources for manufacturing in their own areas.
He said, “Also, industrial areas in these areas will create jobs for local people and curb their migration to the cities. The strategy is to promote inclusive growth by opening industrial zones beyond the usual industrial hubs.”