By Bizodisha Bureau, Bhubaneswar, March 5, 2017 : More than half of the government land acquired by industries at a subsidised price remain idle according to Odisha industry minster, Debi Prasad Mishra.

In a reply to a question by Jajpur MLA Debasis Nayak, Mishra told the Odisha Assembly on Thursday that 1144 firms had been provided land at subsidised rates in Chandaka and Mancheswar area, but currently 567 among them are dysfunctional.

Mishra further said that Odisha Industrial Infrastructure Development Corporation (IDCO) has sent show cause notices to nearly 345 firms clarification on the issue. And land lease agreements of 118 persons have been cancelled, he added.

The minister later told media persons, “Current status of the organisations, contacting us after receiving the notices, is checked by a committee. The committee checks if they have diverted their industries or are establishing new industries after taking required permissions or not. If satisfied the committee allows them to use the land or else they are asked to vacate the land.”

Sluggish industrial development has invited criticism from the opposition with BJP legislature party leader Kanak Vardhan Singh Deo alleging it to be a double speak of the State Government. “What they are saying to people at investors meet is different from the reality. Therefore people are not returning to Odisha after being disappointed,” Deo remarked.

Expressing similar views veteran Congress leader and former PCC president Niranjan Patnaik said, “The ‘Make In Odisha’ is a farce. Because of the mindset and inefficiency of the government, by inviting industrialists and signing MoUs but not providing any support later on, people are feeling dejected and criticising Odisha outside the State.”

Many companies or firms acquiring land for industrial purpose here are alleged to be using it for other purposes. After IDCO initiated the process to cancel the lease agreement of the organisations, the matter went into court. Currently more than 100 such cases are pending in the court.