In the first year of the Bhajan Lal Sharma-led govt, the industries department hogged the limelight as it spearheaded the campaign to organize the Rising Rajasthan investment summit.
With the BJP govt promising to create over 4 lakh jobs, the focus turned to the industries department which has stalled in the 5-6 years with no big new industries coming up.
The department rolled out a dozen policies, including the mechanism to allot land on preferential basis, instead of the auction route, which jacked up prices hindering investments. Despite having large tracts of land, the rates are not cheaper in the state. The cost is almost at the same level as one pays in a developed state like Maharashtra.
For increasing the land bank, the department has also prepared a draft for land aggregation, which aims at acquiring private land for the first time after the new acquisition Act implemented in 2013.
Similarly, plans are afoot to encourage the private sector to set up industrial parks which is expected to galvanise industrial expansion.
Realising that Rajasthan has huge scope in promoting ‘One District One Product', the department also introduced a policy offering a slew of benefits to micro and small industrial units.
The new govt also announced eight new industrial zones for accelerating infrastructure. While investment-friendly policies have been introduced, the major hurdle of investors facing inordinate delays in getting approvals and clearances still persists.
The department already has had meetings to firm up the single window clearance policy, which is non-existent now.
Industrialists complain that without improving ease of doing business and giving time-bound approvals, attracting investments would be difficult as states in India are competing with each other to lure investors.