No takers for Mamleeg, Banalgi industrial areas

Ambika Sharma

Tribune News Service

Solan, January 19

The industrial areas of Mamleeg and Banalgi in Solan district that lack proper road connectivity and basic facilities,have failed to attract investors. Though Solan is the key investment destination, the undeveloped areas in the rural areas of Solan have failed to attract investors.

Two plots of 400 sq m and 700 sq m are available at Banalgi while 35 plots ranging from 430 sq m to 1,922 sq m are available at Mamleeg. Both areas lack basic infrastructure. Even power and water connections are yet to be provided. Since no investor has evinced interest in setting up units there.

General Manager, District Industries Centre, Rajiv Kumar, said no query had been received from any investor in Mamleeg and Banalgi due to their rural location. He had visited the areas to explore the possibility of bringing some investors here but its far-flung location acted as a major disadvantage.

This has hit the government’s efforts to bring in investors to the undeveloped areas and despite availability of certain incentives like transport subsidy, no success has been achieved in alluring investors to such areas.

The industry here can create jobs for the rural youth. In a bid to attract investors, the government has made a provision of allotting plots at subsidised rates for the B category areas and industrially backward C category areas. Concessions up to 70 per cent in rates of industrial plots and sheds are available. Despite these, the investors have not opted for these areas where transportation cost of raw material and finished goods will exceed the financial incentives.