Following the initiative of Chief Minister Trivendra Singh Rawat regarding the transfer of 803 acres of land in Hempur (Kashipur) to State Infrastructure and Industrial Development Corporation of Uttarakhand limited (SIIDCUl), a Memorandum of Understanding has been signed between SIIDCUl and Nepa limited- a Public Sector Undertaking of the Government of India for setting out the modalities to be adopted for the return of this land. As per the terms of the MoU signed, SIIDCUl has been found eligible to take the possession of this land from Nepa limited from June 22 and will be transferred the land within a period of one month. Further, SIIDCUl shall pay the required compensation amount of Rs 96.67 crores to Nepa limited after taking possession of this land.
After acquiring 803 acres of land at Hempur, SIIDCUl plans to develop this land as an industrial estate and will be gearing its efforts to attract investments in the thrust industries- electronics, electricals, IT, food processing and pharmaceuticals. Officials state that these plans of SIIDCUl underscore the Uttarakhand administration‘s approach of viewing infrastructure development as a means to generate employment opportunities for the local population and also as a viable solution leading to addition to the GDP of the State.
It is pertinent to look at the background of this development which had started in the year 1987 with Uttar Pradesh State Industrial Development Corporation (UPSIDC) allotting 803 acres of land at Hempur to Nepa limited for setting up a Newsprint Mill on 90 years lease against an amount of Rs 149.23 lakh paid by Nepa limited to UPSIDC as per the then prevailing circle rate.
The land was not put to the intended use by the undertaking and had been lying unproductive for many years. After the inception of the State of Uttarakhand, the State Government approached the Government of India a number of times for the return of this land under the possession of Nepa limited for alternate use.
On a meeting held in 2013, the parties concerned had reached an agreement for transfer of land from Nepa limited in lieu of the compensation amount to be paid by the Government of Uttarakhand as per the prevailing circle rate. Subsequently in a Meeting held in 2015, the Union Cabinet had accorded approval to the transfer of land under possession of Nepa limited at Hempur to the Government of Uttarakhand. SIIDCUl was nominated as the Nodal Agency by the Department of Industrial Development, Government of Uttarakhand, in this matter. On November 29, 2016 in an agreement reached between SIIDCUl and Nepa limited, Board for Industrial and Financial Reconstruction (BIFR) had issued orders regarding transfer of 803 acres of land by Nepa limited to SIIDCUl in lieu of required compensation amount.