Rajasthan approves new industrial policy based on four pillars
Jaipur, May 23
A Cabinet meeting chaired by Chief Minister Bhajan Lal Sharma at the Chief Minister's Office has approved the Rajasthan Industrial Development Policy with the objective of transforming the state into a global industrial hub in line with the vision of 'Viksit Rajasthan @2047'.
The Rajasthan Cabinet on Friday also took several important decisions concerning industrial development, renewable energy, welfare of employees and pensioners, and initiatives for differently-abled persons.
During the meeting of the Council of Ministers chaired by the Chief Minister, discussions were also held on key issues, including the Vande Ganga Water Conservation-Public Campaign, the Chief Minister's Viksit Gram Shahri Ward Abhiyan Campaign, and the smooth supply of drinking water and electricity across the state.
The Council of Ministers passed a congratulatory resolution in honour of Prime Minister Narendra Modi on receiving the United Nations' Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO)'s highest award 'Agricola Medal'.
During the meeting, it was said that the award conferred upon the Prime Minister by the FAO of the United Nations is a matter of pride and joy for the nation.
The Prime Minister dedicated the honour to the country's farmers and livestock rearers.
Rajasthan Industry and Commerce Minister Rajyavardhan Singh Rathore, Water Resources Minister Suresh Singh Rawat and Minister of State for Energy (Independent Charge) Hiralal Nagar said during a press conference that the Rajasthan Industrial Development Policy is based on the four pillars of "4G", including Green, Governance, Growth and Globalisation with the aim of taking the state economy to $350 billion by 2028-29.
Under the policy, eco-friendly industrial production, renewable energy and the circular economy will be promoted throughout the state.
New schemes will be introduced for the establishment of Common Effluent Treatment Plants (CETPs) in Rajasthan State Industrial Development and Investment Corporation (RIICO) and non-RIICO areas, along with Integrated Resource Recovery Parks.
Development work for node-based industrial parks within the Delhi Mumbai Industrial Corridor will also begin.
The Rajasthan Ministers said the policy will focus on fast-track approvals, improved logistics connectivity, CETPs and plug-and-play infrastructure facilities.
Private sector participation in developing world-class industrial infrastructure will also be encouraged.
Additional incentives will be provided to MSMEs, One District One Product (ODOP) initiatives and the export sector.
Special emphasis will be placed on promoting emerging sectors such as semiconductors, data centres, Global Capability Centers (GCCs) and defence manufacturing, along with gems and jewellery, textiles, tourism, handicrafts, agro-processing, dairy and logistics industries.
he policy also focuses strongly on research and development (R&D) and technology transfer to encourage investment and indigenous manufacturing in Rajasthan.
Water Resources Minister Suresh Singh Rawat said the state Cabinet also discussed the action plan for the Vande Ganga Water Conservation Mass Campaign, which will be conducted from Ganga Dashami on May 25 to World Environment Day on June 5.
The campaign will begin with prayers and rituals at rivers, dams, ponds and other water sources, followed by cleaning and desilting activities for canals and water bodies.
Cleanliness drives, Shramdaan programmes and lamp-lighting ceremonies will be organised at district, block, gram panchayat, village and urban levels.
All Ministers-in-Charge have been directed to continuously monitor and review the campaign in their respective districts.
Minister Rawat added that preparations for grass sowing and tree plantation under the Hariyalo Rajasthan campaign will also be undertaken during this period.
'Jal Chaupals' will be organised at Gram Panchayat headquarters to discuss water conservation and harvesting initiatives.
Workshops, farmers' forums and seminars on drip irrigation, sprinkler systems and micro-irrigation will also be organised at Krishi Vigyan Kendras.
On June 5, the concluding ceremony of the campaign will be held at the district level, where 'Jal Gaurav Samman' awards will be presented to philanthropists, organisations, panchayats, urban local bodies and 'Water Warriors' for outstanding contributions to water conservation efforts.
Minister of State for Energy Hiralal Nagar said that discussions were also held during the Cabinet meeting regarding the measures being undertaken by various departments to ensure the smooth supply of drinking water and electricity amid the ongoing severe heatwave conditions across the state.
He told that, so far in May this year, the peak electricity demand recorded on May 20 stood at 16,487 megawatts, while the available supply was 16,580 megawatts.
He added the figures demonstrate that electricity supply exceeded demand, reflecting a major improvement and highlighting the state government's farsighted power management policy.
The Minister also said that, ahead of the summer season, the state government had launched a special statewide campaign for the repair and restoration of hand pumps and tubewells to ensure uninterrupted water availability in rural and urban areas.
Three major amendments have also been made to the Rajasthan Pension Rules, 1996.
Under the revised provisions, differently-abled children will no longer be required to submit a disability certificate every three years; the certificate will now need to be submitted only once.
Pensioners will also be allowed to submit their annual life certificate through face authentication technology using a mobile application.
In addition, non-gazetted officers will now be authorised to issue a pensioner's life certificate by signing through their SSO ID.
Earlier, the signatures of two gazetted officers were mandatory, but under the new rules, the signature of only one gazetted officer will be considered sufficient.
— IANS
Reader Comments
विकसित राजस्थान @2047 - sounds ambitious! I like that they are including ODOP and agro-processing. For a state known for textiles and handicrafts, this could really boost local artisans. But the key will be how much private sector participation actually happens and if the MSMEs get the additional incentives on time. Also, the pension reforms for differently-abled children are a welcome step - no more running around for certificates every three years! Hope they implement it smoothly. 🌿
Interesting move by Rajasthan. The focus on Green, Governance, Growth, and Globalisation aligns well with global trends. The Delhi Mumbai Industrial Corridor node development is a huge opportunity for the state. However, I wonder about the power management claims - 16,487 MW demand vs 16,580 MW supply is a razor-thin margin, especially during peak summer. One minor disruption could cause issues. Also, the water conservation campaign running concurrently with energy management shows they are thinking about resource efficiency. Let's hope the Jal Chaupals actually lead to measurable water savings.
No doubt the intention is good, but I have some reservations. The $350 billion target by 2028-29 is extremely aggressive for a state like Rajasthan, which has water scarcity and infrastructure challenges. Also, while they talk about CETPs and Integrated Resource Recovery Parks, what about enforcement? Many industries in RIICO areas still flout pollution norms. The emphasis on semiconductors and data centres is nice, but these require reliable power and skilled workforce - does Rajasthan have that yet? And I notice there's no mention of skill development or education in the policy. That's a gap. Progress is needed, but let's be realistic about what can be achieved.
As a farmer from Bikaner, I am happy to see water conservation being taken seriously. The Vande Ganga campaign and Jal Chaupals are much needed. But the real issue is that our canals still don't reach many villages, and we depend on over
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