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‘Centre to facilitate industrial development’

Photo: Ashoke Chakrabarty

Here to help: Union Minister of State for Industry Ashwini Kumar with OPCC chief Jaydev Jena at a press conference in Bhubaneswar on Monday. --

BHUBANESWAR: Union Minister of State for Industry Ashwini Kumar on Monday said that the Centre had decided to collaborate with the State Government to ensure industrialisation in about 15 of the economically backward districts.

Addressing a press conference here, Mr. Kumar said the initiative was being taken under a proposed policy of the Centre to facilitate industrial development in about 600 districts across the country.

The new policy, which would be formulated after he met the Chief Ministers of different States to discuss about the measures, required for the backward district, would be ready by July end this year, Mr. Kumar said.

The Centre would provide all possible assistance to solve the problems that were creating hurdles for development in the industrially backward districts.

Region-specific measures would be taken to solve the problems of road connectivity, availability of power and such other hurdles, he said.

As regards the delay in implementation of several big steel plant projects in the State, the Union Minister said that the State Government should adopt a pro-people approach and facilitate industrialisation by taking the people into confidence.

“If the State government claims it has got the best rehabilitation and resettlement policy, it should analyse the issue to know why so many projects were facing opposition from the people and sort out the problem,” Mr. Kumar observed.

Replying to a query regarding the State government’s repeated allegation that the Centre was neglecting Orissa on various fronts, Mr. Kumar shot back saying that the Centre was treating all the States at equally.

He also spoke at length about the Central Government’s welfare programmes such as the National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme, National Rural Health Mission, Rajiv Gandhi Gramya Vidyutikaran Yojana and the Pradhan Manti Gram Sadak Yojana.

All these schemes were aimed to benefit the people at large, he added.

Later, Mr. Kumar met Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik at the State Secretariat and discussed about the proposed policy and problems facing industrialisation in the State.

The Chief Minister sought the Centre’s help in immediate repair and strengthening of the National Highway No. 215 that passes through mineral-rich Keonjhar district.

Mr. Patnaik also stressed the need for speedy implementation of the proposed Ranchi-Vijaywada national highway project stating.

The new high would be of great help in facilitating development in several interior districts of the State, he said.

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