The Bengal cabinet on Wednesday extended the incentive policy for industrial parks set up by private investors for another five years.

The extension of the scheme, which had lapsed in September last year, is part of the state’s strategy to promote micro, small and medium enterprises (MSME).

“The cabinet today (Wednesday) approved a proposal to extend the incentive scheme for stateapproved industrial parks. The state wants to set up 100 such parks in the next few years,” Bengal home secretary Alapan Bandyopadhyay said at Nabanna on Wednesday.
But there has not been any decision on the incentive policy for large industries, which also expired last September.

“There hasn’t been any proposal for large investments... Besides, the state coffers are almost empty and it’s difficult to offer anything to large industries,” said a source.

Sources at Nabanna said the state had extended the incentive scheme for the private industrial parks as the policy had yielded desired results till now.

In the past five years, 14 such industrial parks were set up on a total of 1,300 acres, said the source.

“The prime objective of the state government right at this moment is creation of employment opportunities. The MSME units set up in industrial parks are generating jobs and that’s why the state is focusing on such facilities,” said a senior state government official.

As part of the incentive scheme for the industrial parks, the government has offered return of a handsome portion of basic infrastructure investment, besides several other facilities.

If a park is spread between 20 and 39 acres, the investor can claim cash back up to Rs 2 crore. In case a park is set up on land measuring between 40 and 59 acres, maximum Rs 4 crore can be refunded.

The investors can claim refund up to Rs 6 crore if the park is spread over land meas¬uring between 60 and 79 acres.

In case it is spread over between 80 and 99 acres, the promoter can claim a refund of Rs 8 crore. An investor can claim cash back up to Rs 10 crore if the park is set up on or above 100 acres.

Moreover, if parks set up common effluent treatment plants, the promoters will be eligible for an incentive of Rs 5 lakh per acre.

Besides, the state government also has a policy of reimbursing 100 per cent stamp duty for all industrial parks, laying a 1.5km road to connect with the nearest major road and setting up a power substation free of cost.

The sources said the industrial parks had generated more than 40,000 jobs in the past few years.

“The apparel park and the hosiery park — both in Howrah — and the Bantala leather park have generated nearly 20,000 employment opportunities in the past few years. If the state can promote the sector, more jobs could be generated,” said another senior government official.