NOIDA: After a delay of over 14 years, the industrial plot allotment policies of the three development authorities in Gautam Budh Nagar are likely to be unified soon.
On Thursday, chief secretary Manoj Singh asked the Noida, Greater Noida, and Yamuna Expressway authorities to standardise their policies and present them before their respective boards for final approval. The revised policy involves plot allocation in two categories.
Officials said plots up to 8,000sqm would be allocated through an auction, prioritising genuine entrepreneurs over investors. For plots exceeding 8,000sqm, allotments will be done based on interviews and objective criteria.
Singh, who is also the UP industrial commissioner and chairperson of the Noida and Greater Noida Authorities’ boards, emphasised the need for a clear, transparent policy for industrial plot allotment.
It was in 2010 that the authorities made their first attempt at a unified land allotment policy.
Greater Noida Authority engaged Sarc and Associates, a chartered accountancy firm, to develop a standardised framework. Although the work started in Oct 2010, logistical challenges hindered its completion. For more than a decade since then, the policy remained on the backburner.
In Sept last year, Singh asked the three authorities to renew their contract with the CA firm for a unified policy.
Each authority appointed a dedicated nodal officer — Soumya Srivastava (Greater Noida OSD), Sanjay Kumar Khatri (Noida Authority additional CEO), and Kapil Singh (Yamuna Expressway Authority additional CEO).
A key meeting on Dec 12, 2023, brought together the nodal officers and finance controllers of all three authorities to evaluate the existing policies and develop new standard operating procedures. The Greater Noida Authority’s board subsequently approved the cost-sharing arrangements among the three authorities, and Sarc & Associates was officially commissioned the task of formulating a policy on Feb 29, 2024.
The comprehensive policy document — Unification of Policies of Noida, G Noida & YEIDA — was presented to Singh this Oct. It focused on standardising various aspects of plot allocation, including eligibility criteria, lease terms, and rent structures. The unified framework aimed at reducing bureaucratic complexity, promoting transparency, and attracting investment.
Officials said the need for a common policy was felt because changes in allotment criteria —alternating between objectives, interview-based selection, and e-tender formats — led to various complications.
The situation reached a critical point when industrial land allotments had to be suspended following objections from industrial minister Nand Gopal Gupta Nandi regarding the shift from e-tendering to objective criteria without proper authorisation.
The new policy, however, has faced criticism from industry representatives.
PK Tiwari, former president of the Industrial Entrepreneurs Association, expressed concerns about its impact on small industries and MSMEs.
“This policy is not aimed at small industries and MSMEs, which are major employment generators,” Tiwari said. “A draw of lots would have provided fair opportunities. Instead, the policy appears to favour large, well-funded companies. We plan to address these concerns through a formal representation to the govt.”