Industrial land used in other purposes to be cancelled: Government

BHUBANESWAR: Facing criticism for alleged arbitrary land allotments in the state capital, Odisha government today decided to cancel all industrial land leases found used for non-industrial purposes.

Chief Secretary B K Patnaik issued a direction in this regard while presiding over the state land allotment committee meeting here, a senior official said.

The committee reviewed the present position of land allotted in industrial areas of Mancheswar, Rasulgarh and Chandka in the state capital. The state government had earlier received complaints that the land leased out for industrial purposes were later used for residential or other works.

Patnaik directed the state owned Industrial Infrastructure Development Corporation ( IDCO) to identify such non-performing units.

"The officials of IDCO will access whether land allotted for industrial use has created employment opportunities and whether the land has been used in other purposes," the official said adding that it has been decided that land put to non-industrial use will be taken back.

The issues relating to valuation of land in Info-valley area in the state capital jurisdiction was also discussed in the meeting. "It has been decided that the land rate will be fixed in two conditions like attracting investment in the sectors and creation of employment opportunity for local youths," he said.