The Hindu : New Delhi News : `Relocation of industries to accelerate NCR growth'

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Friday, Sep 17, 2004

New Delhi

New Delhi

`Relocation of industries to accelerate NCR growth'

By Lalit K. Jha

NEW DELHI, SEPT. 16. Closure of small and household industries running from the residential areas of Delhi and their subsequent relocation would accelerate the growth of the National Capital Region and "generate" employment opportunities for lakhs of skilled and unskilled labourers.

This view of town planners and urban experts in the field as also of the National Capital Region Planning Board (NCRPB) is contrary to the assertion of the political leadership and union leaders that closure of industries in the Capital and their subsequent relocation would badly hit the livelihood of lakhs of industrial workers and their family members.

"Implementation of the Supreme Court order would `further' the growth of industrial activities in the National Capital Region. Within a few years of its planned relocation, lakhs of employment opportunities would be generated. This would reduce Delhi's congestion," an official of the NCR Planning Board (NCRPB) said.

It is believed that the NCRPB in its communication to the Union Urban Development Ministry has strongly opposed any move for further continuance of small industries in the Capital. It argued that a city like Delhi should `opt' for an industrial policy which is highly technology sensitive, non-polluting, sophisticated and high value addition generating.

Claiming that small-scale industries running from residential areas of the Capital were doing roaring business because of cheap power and water, officials said, due to this as many as 2,400 acres of developed industrial plots were laying vacant in NCR. Several hundred crores have been spent on development of these plots.

"Another 700 acres are being developed. The plots are enough to cater to the needs of all such industries in the Capital," officials said. "Relocation of industries from Delhi to the NCR would generate massive economic activities in the region. With land being a problem, there is hardly any scope for expansion in the Capital, while there is no such constraint in the NCR," he added.

In order to make Delhi a world class city in view of the forthcoming Commonwealth Games, besides maintaining quality of life, provide its citizens a better life in terms of clean environment and adequate level of civic services, it becomes imperative that all those manufacturing activities which demand consumption of services -- water and power -- higher than what is permissible in residential areas "should not be allowed", said the official referring to the draft NCR Regional Plan-2021. A letter in this regard has been written to the Delhi Government and the Union Urban Development Ministry.

Conceding that the region as of now lacked better physical infrastructure and connectivity with the Capital, the Planning Board called for development of a common economic zone for making NCR attractive for small-scale and household industries.

A part of draft Regional Plan-2021 and also included in new industry policy, the Planning Board has suggested rationalisation of tax structure, besides the development of physical infrastructure in the region.

"For a balanced and dispersed development in the region, it is imperative to look at NCR as a unified area in economic terms and strengthen or eliminate such differences which look at the NCR as a unified area in economic terms," said the draft Regional Plan. Officials argued that once these illegal-run industries moved out of Delhi, physical and other infrastructure facilities would start developing. "It is in the interest of the NCR and also these industries to move out of the Capital for proper and balanced development," an official argued.

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