Cement, Energy and Environment

All new industrial units and existing units on substantial expansion would be eligible for central capital units at the rate of 15 percent of their investment in plant and machinery from January 7,2013 to March 31,2017,an official release said. It said subsidy would be available to all new and existing units on substantial expansion located in notified areas as well as to "thrust industries" for units located anywhere in these states. Only those units that pre-register under the scheme, commence commercial production and operation before March 2017 and file claims within one year of the commencement of commercial production would be eligible for subsidy under the scheme, it said. Incentive on substantial expansion will be given to units affecting an increase by not less than 25 percent in the value of fixed capital investment in plant and machinery for the purpose of expansion of capacity. However, expenditure on purchase, procurement, Installation of second-hand plant and machinery will not be eligible for subsidy under the Central Capital Investment Subsidy Scheme. A single unit cannot avail subsidy both from the central and the state governments for the same purpose. Commerce and Industry Minister Anand Sharma said the extension of the special package would give a fillip to manufacturing and the small and medium enterprises in both the states. The new industrial policy and other concessions for Himachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand were announced January 7,2003 for a period of 10 years, keeping in view the fact these states lag in industrial development. Commerce and Industry Minister Anand Sharma said the extension of the special package would give a fillip to manufacturing and the small and medium enterprises in both the states. The WHY ARE INDIA'S BIG-TICKET INFRASTRUCTURE PROJECTS GETTING DELAYED? CW examines the proj ects, problems and possible prescriptions Some truths are uncomfortable but need to be expressed - for many of us , delay is par for the course . We show up late for appointments; we're inured to late trains, buses and flights; and we are comfortably resigned to the fact that most things new industrial policy and other concessions for Himachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand were announced January 7, 2003 for a period of 10 years, keeping in view the fact these states lag in industrial development. Himachal Pradesh has been able to attract 300 percent more investment as compared to the pre-incentive package level. On an average, total investment generated in Himachal Pradesh is above Rs.12,500 crore and number of units set up has grown 28 percent while growth in employment generation is more than 33 percent, said the PIB statement. In Uttarakhand, investment generated is close to Rs.30,000 crore,42 times the 2000 level. The number of units set up has grown more than 130 percent while growth in employment generation is more than 490 percent for the same period. Meawnhile, accusing the Centre to be "discriminatory" against it, the Punjab government has also said that it should also get an economic package on the lines of the special industrial package given to neighboring states of Himachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand. "Our state has suffered a lot due to militancy, tax concessions to neighboring states. Centre should have also announced an economic package for a border state like Punjab which deserves it the most, "Punjab Industries Minister Madan Mohan Mittal told PTI. Mittal accused the Centre of not promoting industrial sector of Punjab which had been demanding industrial package on the lines of hilly areas in order to provide impetus to the state's industrial sector. Punjab government which had been urging the Centre to announce an economic package had even attributed rising debt problem and decline in industrial investment to tax concessions to neighboring states, militancy and inadequate support by Centre. Courtesy : The Economic Times, 21.01.2014, Pg. No.24 (from plans to projects) are never completed when promised . So why should we focus on delayed infrastructure projects, you may ask? The answer is simple: these projects are a ver: BIG deal. When the familiar miasma of delay IS allowed to creep into a project that costs the earth and is vital to the nation's development, it is time to shed our apathy and ask some serious questions: Which projects are delayed? Why? How do we choose the projects to fast-track? And, most significant, what can the government do? I) '