The Hindu Business Line : Small industrial units seek title deeds for land

Kochi, Feb. 13 Several small industrial units in Kerala are facing difficulties on account of the non issuance of pattayams (title deeds) by the State Government to units set up in various industrial estates.

The officials of the Kerala State Small Industries Association pointed out that most of the units had remitted the required fee for receiving pattayams as per the instructions from the concerned District Industrial Centres.

However, the successive governments in the State have not taken any interest in issuing the deeds and there are several industrial units which are waiting for more than 10 years to acquire deeds. Mr A.P.M. Abdul Raheem, State President and Mr V.K. Joseph, Vice-President of the association said that the issuance of title deeds would enable most of the units to avail themselves of financial assistance from banks and other institutions to modernise their units.

The association, therefore, requested the authorities to take immediate steps for the issuance of pattayams as there would not be any legal bottlenecks in getting deeds, which was evident from the recent land transactions in the case of HMT land.

Pre-tender formalities

Likewise, it also demanded the Government to reinstate the benefits of pre-tender formalities given to small scale units such as EMD and security deposit.

Earlier, the Government had given an instruction to government and semi-government departments to purchase products from SSI units if the prices in the open market are 15 per cent higher than the goods produced by SSI units.

However, most of the departments are reluctant to place orders with SSIs and the Government should take steps to reinstate the price preference for the overall benefit of SSIs in the State.

Even though the Industrial Task Force constituted by the State Government had decided to reinstate the benefits enjoyed by SSIs, a favourable decision has yet to be taken.

The association pointed out that there are thousands of acres, which are not suitable for agricultural purpose, that remain unutilised.

Steps to reallocation

The Government should take steps to re-allot such land for industrial purpose.

It also called upon the political parties to desist from the move to organise hartals as the State exchequer is losing crores of rupees on hartal days.

The association’s office-bearers also said that they had constituted a social security fund to provide Rs 15 lakh as compensation to the family of an entrepreneur who meets with an untimely death.

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