In a major policy shift for manufacturing sector, the Uttar Pradesh government has decided to promote flatted factory complexes and Agra is all set to get the state’s first such complex.
Spread over five acres, the Rs 125-crore project will comprise 68 industrial units spread across four storeys of the proposed complex.
The concept of flatted factory envisages industrial buildings with more than one storey, subdivided into units for manufacturing, assembly and associated storage.
Additional Chief Secretary (Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises) Navneet Sehgal said that the roadmap of flatted factory complex at Foundry Nagar in Agra had been prepared to allow the setting up of a large number of industries within limited space.
“Since the complex will be situated in the city, goods would be easily supplied to markets, while providing jobs to a large number of people. The project was prepared after taking feedback from the local industrialists and entrepreneurs,” he said.
Equipped with modern industrial amenities, the complex would house non-polluting manufacturing units like footwear, bicycles, hosiery, handloom, carpet, leather goods, electric lamps, embroidery, woollen clothes, tea packaging, information technology, light engineering etc.
The complex will be located at 10 km from Agra-Lucknow Expressway, thus providing easy connectivity to markets beyond Agra and UP as well. Moreover, it would provide parking space and conference facilities for entrepreneurs, exhibition arcade, food court, data centre etc.
Against the coronavirus pandemic disruptions, the state government announced its new investment policy to give a fillip to industries last month. The new policy is expected to not only boost the existing and new industrial projects, but also position UP strategically for prospective global investors planning to shift manufacturing bases out of China following the coronavirus pandemic and the ongoing US-China trade war.
The policy promises to reimburse State Goods and Services Tax (SGST) by 200-300 per cent of capital investment, subject to differential ceiling, depending upon the geography, made by industries in Purvanchal (eastern UP), Bundelkhand and Madhyanchal (Central UP) regions.
In Bundelkhand, 70 per cent of the net SGST reimbursement would be applicable for 15 years, subject to 300 per cent of capital investment. Similarly, 70 per cent of SGST would be reimbursed to investors, subject to a ceiling of 200 per cent of capital investment made in Madhyanchal during the period.
Due to lockdown, nearly 38 lakh migrant workers returned from other states to UP, especially to eastern and central districts. The new policy aims at accelerating industrialisation in these regions, so that bulk of the migrant workforce can be absorbed in gainful employment locally.