Maharashtra government is likely to have a new industrial policy by April 1. For the first time, energy companies are likely to get incentives under the policy for producing electricity.

Senior State Government officials said that although energy companies are not listed under the Industrial Development and Regulation Act, the sector is given the importance of electricity in the economy. The State government is considering sops in the form of duty waiver.

“As the power sold in the State is being regulated by the state electricity regulator, the government does not have much of a say. But the various duties including electricity duty, which the companies attract, could be waived,” the official said.

The policy will help in meeting the State's electricity demand, which is currently at 16,000 MW, while the supply is 12,500 MW. Because of the short supply, power producers in the State have to buy about 3,500 MW from other States on a daily basis.

Official added that non-conventional power companies would also be given additional invectives and details are being worked out.

SSI booster

The policy is also looking at giving a fillip to industrial production by encouraging SSIs. It is looking at streamlining some of the cumbersome procedures which SSI units have to follow.

Some of the units, especially in the textile sector, have a floating population of casual workers, who shift from one unit to other every 15 days. The units will have to make provision for provident fund but the workers are not in favour of deductions.

The policy could lay down simpler procedure for deductions, the official said.

Some textile units who have to pay charges to the Agriculture Produce Market Committee for sourcing their raw material could get a waiver or refund of the charges, official said.

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