Fifth GIDC to come up on outskirts of Rajkot

RAJKOT: Breaking the pact with state government for construction of a special economic zone (SEZ), the Rajkot district collectorate has initiated a fifth GIDC on Dev village land of 116 hectares of land.

In a meeting with Rajkot Engineering Association (REA) on Monday, district collector HS Patel discussed the developments with entrepreneurs and asked them to expand their businesses through this new venture.

During the Vibrant Gujarat Investors Summit-2007, REA had entered into a pact with the state government for developing the SEZ, but, as the land in question was in the agricultural zone, the SEZ never saw the light of the day. However, after two years of dilly-dallying, when the SEZ project was finally shelved, the administration started the Gujarat Industrial Development Corporation (GIDC) project.

Sources said, not many have shown keen interest in the project due to lack of subsidies. However, being optimistic about the proposal, Patel said, "We are going to come up with this GIDC keeping in view the auto ancillary parts business. We have many forging, automobile parts, CNG and oil engine units in operation, which can expand their businesses through this GIDC."