The New Industrial Policy for Delhi, the first comprehensive policy to have come out after 1982, was on Monday approved by the Delhi Cabinet.
Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit, who chaired the meeting, said the new policy would promote hi-tech, knowledge-based and IT-based industries. It will be implemented from 2010 to 2021.
Though the Delhi Government did not officially divulge more details about the new policy as Industries Minister Haroon Yusuf would be making a detailed announcement on Tuesday, it is learnt that the new policy has been formulated keeping in mind the guidelines issued under the Master Plan for Delhi-2021.
Sources said the new policy would promote new-age sectors along with traditional non-polluting industries so as to boost revenues and reduce pollution in the Capital.
The aim of the policy is to make Delhi a hub of “clean, high-technology and skilled economic activities by 2021’’.
Though the policy originally was expected to be announced in August 2009, the Government took some more time fine-tuning it in accordance with the new Master Plan guidelines.
The policy also speaks about how through public-private partnership the process for operation and management of four industrial estates -- Patparganj, Narela, Bawana and Okhla Phase-III -- has been initiated.
The Delhi Government and the Delhi State Industrial and Infrastructure Development Corporation had developed seven industrial areas, industrial sheds in six industrial areas and flatted factory complexes and in these areas, the industries can be set up as per the new Master Plan.
In the past year, the cumbersome processes for approvals were done away with to some extent and the State Industries Department has gone for a single-window clearance system for issue of approvals, no objection certificates and licences required for setting up industrial enterprises.
Further, the Industries Department has been working on devising common application forms for seeking clearances from various departments and put into place a mechanism for time-bound disposal.
With the Special Economic Zones being the buzzword, the new industrial policy also reflects on how the Delhi Government had notified its SEZ policy on February 12, 2009, to facilitate establishment of SEZs in hi-tech areas.
The new industrial policy looks into the issue of energy conservation.
Incidentally, a memorandum was signed recently between DSIIDC and the Bureau of Energy Efficiency for taking the technical expertise of BEE in promoting energy conservation.
