The State Government will open as many as 17 new Industrial Training Institutes (ITIs) in 15 development blocks during financial year 2015-16, officials stated. Out of the 17 ITIs, a total of 12 would be opened in tribal dominated regions. The State Government has made a provision of Rs19.3 crore for the purpose.
It may be recalled that a budget provision of Rs10 crore had been made by the State Government for 2015-16 for investors in the form of capital investment, interest grant and skill development in the State Budget for the Electronics and IT sector is set to provide a major boost to the Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s ‘Make in India’ dream.
The budget announcement is in consonance with the new IT & Electronics policy of the State Government, officials stated. Moreover, the Chhattisgarh Government has now included Electronics Manufacturing also under its IT/ITeS Policy, officials stated.
This has been done as per the vision of the Prime Minister on ‘Make in India’ initiative for which the State Government has envisioned ‘Make in Chhattisgarh’ campaign. Currently, the State has a suitable eco system for Electronics/IT/ITeS Industry with key parameters of Physical and Social infrastructure, Air and Telecom Connectivity, Responsive Electronic, IT/ITeS Policy and CHiPS as single point of contact, (Ease of doing business), they stated.
The Cabinet decision to approve the new Electronics, IT/ITeS Policy would keep the focus on Electronics, IT/ITeS as income and employment generator, officials stated. The policy focus is on IT Developers, IT Development units, Electronic Manufacturing Unit, Data Centre, etc. Moreover, host of incentives like Interest Subsidy, Capital Subsidy, Subsidy on land Premium, etc will be provided to new units coming up in the State. Interest Subsidy which was 75 per cent of the interest paid, maximum upto 60 lakh per year for 7 years, has been upgraded to 75 per cent of the interest paid , maximum upto Rs1.1 crore per year for 8 years.
Capital Investment Subsidy which was 45 per cent, maximum Rs1.4 crore has been revised to 50 per cent, maximum upto Rs1.5 crore. Subsidy on land premium uptill 80 per cent will be provided. Further incentives of 5 per cent on Capital Subsidy. Interest Subsidy and on land premium would be provided to units employing more than 50 per cent workforce of Chhattisgarh domicile, or starting production within year 2015-16.
Keeping the requirements of small and medium enterprise in mind, the policy provides incentives such as 50 per cent subsidy on lease rent, reimbursement of training cost of IT Professionals upto Rs20,000 per employee and subsidy upto 30 per cent on Bandwidth charges among others. The policy has been framed keeping the requirements of Electronics,IT/ITeS Industry, and is the most competitive policy amongst all the States in India.
It may be recalled that an Electronic Manufacturing Cluster will be established by Chhattisgarh State Industrial Development Corporation ltd (CSIDCl) during the next three years. The CSIDCl had sent a proposal to the Central Government regarding development of ‘Electronic Manufacturing Cluster’ over 70 acres of land in Naya Raipur.
The estimated cost of the ‘Electronic Manufacturing Cluster’ is Rs105 crore where the Central Government will contribute Rs50 crore for the project while remaining expenses will be borne by State Government itself. Development of the ‘Electronic Manufacturing Cluster’ will open gates for investment of Rs500 crore in 50 industries and will create employment opportunities for about 1000 people. It is a major achievement in the direction of establishing pollution-free industries of Non-core sector in Naya Raipur, officials stated.
Early this year, the State Government announced that more than 1.77 lakh youth had received training for various vocations under Chhattisgarh Government’s Skill Development Programme in the State, officials stated. The programme was launched in October 2013. The programme is being run by Chhattisgarh State Skill Development Authority whose Chairman is Chief Minister Raman Singh. The programme is being managed by the Manpower Planning Department.
Quite recently, an amount of Rs2.5 crore had been allocated from the CAMPA Fund by Chhattisgarh Government for skill development of the youth of families involved in the protection of forest and wildlife in Chhattisgarh, officials stated.
On the directives of Chief Minister Raman Singh, a special provision has been made for Skill Development. There will be better employment opportunities for youth, officials stated. Chief Secretary Vivek Dhand had presided over the special meeting of State CAMPA Organising Committee held in the month of February this year which passed the order. The Forest Department also is included in the Skill Development programmes.
Kanker and Charama forest regions are also included in the bear affected areas under the ‘Jamwant Scheme’. At present, this five-year scheme is applicable only to five forest Mandals. It may be mentioned here that Chief Minister Raman Singh during the early months of 2014 had directed officials to prepare a Rs3,200-crore action plan for the next five years from the funds to be received from Centre’s ‘CAMPA Fund’. A Rs600-crore action plan would be prepared for each year, he had stated.
About Rs3,200 crore ‘State CAMPA Fund’ is currently available with the Central Government. Singh had also directed to launch a special drive for planting trees on the sides of road from Mainpat in Surguja and Jagadalpur to Chitrakot Waterfalls. He had directed to plant only one variety of saplings on one road, with which not only the beauty of the road would be enhanced, but it would get a new identification also. The Chhattisgarh Government had set a target of planting 7.58 crore saplings of different species under “Hariar Chhattisgarh Abhiyan” (Green Chhattisgarh Campaign) in the State during 2014.