The Jharkhand Industrial Area Development Authority (Jiada) in Bokaro has cancelled the allotment of land to Ultratech Cement, an Aditya Birla Group company, for setting up a cement plant in Balidih industrial area. Ultratech was allotted 48 acres of land by JIADA to install 1.5 MTPA cement plant in 2016.
JIADA secretary P N Mishra said, “The company neither paid any money for the land allotment or started operations. This has forced us to cancel the allotment.”
JIADA has served notices to 20 more companies that have taken land several years ago, but failed to start operations. The action comes in the wake of directives from state industries department secretary K Ravi Kumar for identifying non-performing entities despite allotment of land.
Mishra said, “The process to cancel land allotment to 20 more companies will be initiated soon. The action is being taken to make maximum utilisation of land by giving it to those who are genuinely seeking space to install their manufacturing units and do business here.”
JIADA officials have even found that after getting land allotments, several companies have rented it to other business entities. At many industrial plots, proprietors have constructed residential houses.
Industries department officials here maintained that timely completion of the Ultratech plant would have generated employment.
