A flurry of investment in the Thane-Belapur industrial belt after five years of recession has prompted them to demand an autonomous status of an industrial township.
In a memorandum submitted to the state government, the industrial belt is seeking Special Economic Zone (SEZ) recognition from the state to get tax relief, reduce multiplicity of interactions with government bodies and be able to expand independently.
Senior officers of the Thane-Belapur Industries Association (TBIA) met Prime Minister Manmohan Singh last week asking him to visit the area to focus his attention to the fast-paced growth pattern required to enable the area mould into an industrial eco-park of international standards around Navi Mumbai, touted as the 21st century city.
The three-way taxation system is hitting the units in Thane-Belapur hard—one each going into the kitty of Navi Mumbai Municipal Corporation (NMMC), the state government and the Centre. “We are paying Rs100 crore as taxes and there is no service. If the cost of production goes up, the industrial units will have to move out and only IT and MNCs will survive,” says Dinesh Parekh, president, Thane-Belapur Industries Association (TBIA).
The 28-km-long stretch is managing Rs15,000 crore investment with a whopping 1,20,000 jobs in the various fields of engineering, chemical, IT, pharma, textile, metal and food processing. The TBIA is now demanding amendment to the Contract Labour Act for core and non-core sector to promote employment, exemption on duty imports from Octroi to bring down the cost of production for export sales.
The association has also pointed out that since the cess payable on jobs done was high, small jobs like processing, heat treatment units were shifting to Vapi, Silvasa (Gujarat) where no such cess is applicable.
With big giants like Novartis, HLL, Reliance, Pfizer, pumping in money and IT companies opening their back offices in the area, real estate prices have rocketed to Rs8,000 per sq metre, highlighting the need to beef up the infrastructure.
“Special status will ensure that we can use our funds for good roads. We want to de-link from Maharashtra State Electricity Board (MSEB) as well to develop our own power stations,” informed Parekh.
The demands
Recognition as an industrial township
Amend labour laws
Reduce multiple taxation from NMMC, state government and Centre
More frequency of trains connecting Thane, Navi Mumbai
Terminal to park trucks carrying hazardous chemicals
Independent power station
Speed up the work on the second international airport at Navi Mumbai
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