GANDHINAGAR: Agreeing to long-pending demands of industries, which have been asking for extension of deadlines for availing benefits of the 2016 industrial policy on account of the Covid-19 pandemic, the state government, has in principle, agreed to extend the deadline by six months.
Industries which have been availing benefits of the 2016 industrial policy, will continue to get these benefits until July 2022.
According to the available data, industrial projects of over Rs 12,000 crore registered under the 2016 scheme are near completion.
Many industries which have started development of industrial units, but could not get registration under the scheme have also requested for the registration under the old policy, so that they can begin production by July 2022. This decision is still pending as allowing fresh registration under the old policy will adversely affect registration under the new industrial policy.
A key source close to the development said, “A number of industries which have invested over Rs 500 crore or even Rs 1,000 crore in some cases, are experiencing difficulty in commencing commercial production due to unexpected break in their plans due second wave of Covid-19. As the decision does not have any financial implication on the government, so the government has agreed to give six months’ extension post January 2022.”
“Compared to the 2020 industrial policy, most of the industries find the 2016 policy more lucrative and have requested to be registered under the old policy.
The government will have to take the final call whether it will allow new registrations under the lapsed 2016 policy or not.
As 2022 will be assembly election year, it is likely that the government may opt for accepting all the demands of industries,”added the sources.
