Friday, February 4, 2011

17 UP industrial estates to go to Uttarakhand

After extending control for more than 10 years, the Uttar Pradesh government today agreed to hand over all its industrial estates to Uttarakhand on a priority basis.

At a meeting held here, the officials of the industrial department of Uttar Pradesh agreed to transfer all 17 industrial estates, currently managed by the Uttar Pradesh State Industrial Development Corporation (UPSDIC), to Uttarakhand, but failed to resolve contentious issues like loan liabilities of Uttar Pradesh Finance Corporation (UPFC).

“They have agreed to transfer all the estates owned by UPSDIC to us on top priority basis. Sooner or later, these estates have to come back to the Uttarakhand Industrial and Infrastructure Development Corporation,” said an Uttarakhand government official. However, no timeframe was set for the final transfer of these industrial estates.

Although the Uttar Pradesh government had given its consent for the transfer of industrial estates on earlier occasions as well, the two states have failed to make headway over the past few years. The meeting was convened to resolve the problems which were coming in the way of the transfer of land and ownership of these estates to Uttarakhand.

The official also said a separate list is being prepared on all those points where the two states differ, especially those related to money and loan liabilities. “We will again sit together and try to resolve these contentious issues,” said the official. Both the sides also discussed the disputes over the division of liabilities pertaining to the loans’ disbursement by UPFC and other corporations.

After Uttarakhand was carved out of Uttar Pradesh in November 2000, the dispute between the two states on division of assets and liabilities is lingering on despite several rounds of meetings. Uttar Pradesh had so far not transferred all the industrial estates and other assets like fish ponds which are located in Uttarakhand.

BS

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