Industry bodies spar over estates | Latest News Delhi - Hindustan Times
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Industry bodies spar over estates

Hindustan Times | ByAnuradha Mukherjee, New Delhi
Jan 26, 2009 02:50 PM IST

Delhi’s industrial estates may be coming loose at the hinges, but city authorities are still trying to figure out where to arrange funds for their upkeep, reports Anuradha Mukherjee.

Delhi’s industrial estates may be coming loose at the hinges, but city authorities are still trying to figure out where to arrange funds for their upkeep. Delhi government, on its part, is sticking to its guns and insisting that these bodies manage the upkeep of estates with their allotted funds.

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“Both Delhi State Industrial and Infrastructure Development Corporation (DSIIDC) and the Municipal Corporation of Delhi have approached the Delhi government for additional funds to maintain the 28 such estates.

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While the DSIIDC has demanded an additional Rs 100 crore, MCD has demanded about Rs 175 crore,” said Delhi chief secretary Rakesh Mehta. He said while the government was willing to pitch in a one-time amount as assistance for any large-scale development work, it was not willing to bail the bodies out when it came to regular maintenance of these estates.

“Traders are supposed to pay 15 per cent of the maintenance expenses, which they have not for at least a decade,” said Mehta. MCD standing committee chairman Vijender Gupta, however, expressed annoyance, over what he called the state government’s delaying tactics.“We had placed a demand for Rs 450 crore, but the Delhi government asked us to hand over our industrial estates and let DSIIDC look after them. Why should we? They are simply trying to take over our powers,” said Gupta. The MCD is responsible for 26 industrial estates in Delhi that include Wazirpur Industrial Area, Okhla Phase I and II, Mayapuri and Badli industrial areas among others. DSIIDC is responsible for the upkeep of the Bawana and Narela industrial estates.

State finance minister AK Walia had a different take on the issue. He felt the MCD should “put its house in order” as they already receive substantial funds. “They receive Rs 2,500 crore which is a substantial chunk of funds. We had asked them to hand over some industrial estates since they were clearly not able to maintain them,” he said.

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