Maharashtra government has served notices to 4,000 industries for unused plots: Subhash Desai

Industries minister Subhash Desai said on Friday that the state government has so far served notices to 4,000 industries and acquired 1,075 plots from some of them for not utilizing them for years.

Desai was responding to a question asked by MLC Amarsinh Pandit on plot allotment related to Shendra and Waluj MIDC in Aurangabad. Desai made it clear that the tender system had been in use for the past eight years to allot plots and there was no question of allotting the plot online or directly without tender.

Desai said that if at all the member had specific information about where the plot has been given using wrong methods, the government would inquire in to it and take action. He added that the government had issued notices to 4,000 industries for not utilizing the plots which were allotted for developing small industrial unit or setting up industries.

Desai made it clear that there had been instances when the industrial plots were allotted to set up industrial units and after being kept unused for years, were utilized for commercial purposes. He said that there are many plots in MIDCs all over the state that are lying vacant and the government has initiated action against them over the past three months. He said that new investors cannot avail of plots in MIDC since there are no plots available, but many plots are lying vacant. In the last three months, his department has acquired back 1,075 plots from the industries which were lying vacant and it could help new investors to avail plots.