The Gujarat government on June 27 released its Infrastructure Agenda: Vision 2010, highlighting the investment opportunities in the sector. The detailed document, prepared by Crisil Advisory Services (CAS), for the Gujarat Infrastructure Development Board (GIDB), provides road map for the state on infrastructure. It also gives the private sector a complete guide to the demand supply scenario in each sector and the investment outlook on each major project.  

To meet its infrastructure needs in ports, power,, industrial parks, roads and some other areas, Gujarat has outlined an investment of Rs. 116,993 crore, of which Rs. 21,471 crorewill be invested by the state government or its agencies. Projects that will be tendered out include 22 in the power sector with investment of Rs. 55,167 crore (Rs. 7,394 crore by the state), 10 (including expansions) in the port sector with an investment of Rs. 12,228 crore (Rs. 343 crore by CMB) and 105 road projects with a combined investment of Rs. 19,951 crore (Rs. 4,932 crore by the state).  

Delhi alters Master Plan to let industrial units stay  

The Delhi state government is considering converting a few of the non conforming areas into conforming ones in its next Master Plan as it has been found difficult to relocate 55,000 industrial units.  

A number of areas including Samaipur Badli, Anandparbat and Shahadra would get the status of conforming industrial areas in the next Master Plan to be put into place in 2001.  

Delhi State Industrial Development Corporation Ltd. (DSIDC) Chairman Shri Sudarshan Sareen said that though the government had taken the responsibility of relocating such units as had been identified by the Supreme Court, it was not possible to accommodate around five lakh people in the prescribed location. According to Shri Sareen the alternate plan of the government was to declare the areas supporting a large number of units as conforming industrial areas. Household units operating on a very small scale would also not be asked to move.   
   
Shri Sareen has assured that retaining some of the existing units in the capital would not lead to a higher pollution level as the identified units do not cause pollution. "The units, causing pollution have already been shut down," he said.  

Rajasthan approves captive power policy  

Under Rajasthan's new captive power Policy, sale of power to third parties is to be banned. Captive power plant has been redefined as one which produces power for captive consumption of its owners.  It would not be allowed to produce surplus power even for sale to the State Electricity Board.  

Rajasthan's privatisation moves  

The economic development board, constituted by Rajasthan government to play a crucial role in the development of the state held its, first meeting in Jaipur on August 7. Addressing the meeting chief minister Shri Ashok Gehiot said that he had pinned high expectations from the board which would act like a "think-tank".  
   
The chief minister said that his government had decided to go in for privatisation on a large-scale for faster economic growth. The Sindustrial environment in the state would be made investor-friendly with simplification of rules and procedures relating to land allotment, production of power and transmission and other fields of infrastructure facilities.