Ladakh rolls out draft industrial land policy with focus on jobs for locals

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Arjun Sharma

Jammu, July 28

The Ladakh administration has published a draft ‘Ladakh Industrial Land Allotment Policy—2023’ with a focus on providing jobs to local youth and has asked the residents to file their feedback by August 21.

Admn seeks feedback from public

• Draft policy has been put in the public domain to seek views and comments from general public by August 21
• A similar policy was also put in the public domain in October last year but was later put on hold due to negative feedback
• While there was no industrial land measuring upto 3 kanal in the earlier policy, the new draft has introduced it
• The ratio of employment to local workers has also been introduced in the recent policy which was missing in earlier policy
• 40%, 10% and 10% of the total land in the industrial estates will be kept reserved for priority sector industries, start-ups and underprivileged sections of the society respectively
• Main objective of the policy is to create employment opportunities and improve the living standard of local population

The Industries and Commerce Department in a notification stated that the draft policy has been put in the public domain to seek views and comments from general public of the union territory.

A similar policy was also put in the public domain in October last year but was later put on hold due to negative feedback. Opposition and local groups had criticised it and claimed that it will only help ‘outsiders’. However, the new draft policy has been rolled out with increased focus on local youth.

While there was no industrial land measuring upto 3 kanal in the earlier policy, the new draft has introduced it. The cost of land not exceeding 3 kanal in the policy has been fixed at Rs 1 lakh per kanal in urban areas and Rs 75,000 per kanal in rural areas. There are different sizes of land for which different rates have been prescribed.

“Industrial unit seeking investment in the service sector (like hotel, resort and guest house etc.) as mentioned in the positive list of The Ladakh Sustainable lndustrial Policy 2022-27 shall be permitted only for local entrepreneurs of Ladakh. However, outside entrepreneurs shall be eligible for the service sector like multi speciality hospitals, cable car, testing, R&D, analysis, and certification services and should have local unskilled worker in the ratio of 90:10 and preference shall be given to the local skilled workers,” the policy states.

The ratio of employment to local workers has also been introduced in the recent policy which was missing in the earlier draft policy. The policy states that for industrial units seeking investment in the manufacturing sector, outside entrepreneurs should have local unskilled worker in the ratio of 90:10 and preference shall be given to the local skilled workers.

40 per cent, 10 per cent and 10 per cent of the total land in the industrial estates will be kept reserved for priority sector industries, start-ups and underprivileged sections of the society respectively.

The administration will form two committees for the allotment of land on the basis of investment in plant and machinery including district level single window clearance committee and UT level single window clearance committee. “The general manager, district industries centre, shall obtain required NOC from departments such as PDD, PHE, and Ladakh Pollution Control Committee, with timeline for providing the NOC by the departments within one month, failing which it would be deemed as given. A comparative list of applicants with recommendations for the consideration of the single window clearance committee shall be submitted to the concerned committee for its consideration” the policy document reads.

The land will be allotted after submission of Detailed Project Report (DPR) by the applicant along with other formalities. The policy document states that the industrial land allotment policy is an important initiative aimed at promoting economic growth and development in Ladakh.

“The policy focuses on providing opportunities of economic growth, entrepreneurship, employment generation for the local youth to participate in the industrial sector by allocating land for the establishment of industries and other related activities. The main objective of the policy is to create employment opportunities, improve the living standards of the local population, and promote overall economic development of the region,” it reads.