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Ladies, this way please!

Sharat Pradhan in Lucknow

Greater NOIDA, which is fast coming up as a 21st century industrial township on New Delhi's periphery, is out to woo women entrepreneurs.

Constituted in 1991, the Greater New Okhla Industrial Development Authority's aim was to build a model town near the national capital. Eight years later, a city of the future has been developed. With state-of-art technology in architecture, urban planning and engineering.

And now, to provide an impetus to women entrepreneurs, the township has earmarked a sector exclusively for them. In addition, the members of the fair sex would be entitled to certain special concessions.

Taking into account their demand for smaller plots to set up tiny industrial units, the lower size limit of plots was reduced to just 300 metres. The limit otherwise is fixed at one acre, and had failed to attract small entrepreneurs.

"Of course, bigger plots too would be available on demand," says Greater NOIDA chairman Brijesh Kumar, who has earmarked an area of 8.98 hectares for women.

Adds chief executive officer Rita Menon triumphantly: "We have already made as many as 64 allotments, ranging between plots of 300 sq mt and 1000 sq mt."

What seems to have enthused this new team of Greater NOIDA administrators is the prompt response the scheme received within weeks of its launch.

"It began with the NOIDA Women Entrepreneurs Association demanding smaller industrial plots," says Kumar, who, in response, bent the rules. No sooner than the announcement was made about the new scheme, there was amazing response. From Delhi, as well.

"We promptly began to receive requests for setting up textile, garments, electronics or electrical goods manufacturing units," says Kumar. "The entire area was by then fully developed and ready to welcome any prospective entrepreneur right away."

Kumar and Menon together brought about a sea-change in the overall working of Greater NOIDA. Now land allotments are made in just 15 days. "We have a committee, which meets on the last Friday of every month to take decisions right across the table," they say, "And mind you, we believe in allotting only fully developed plots with complete road network and electricity."

Well laid-out greenery provides Grater NOIDA a look of its own. The authorities have also ensured a four-row tree plantation all over, with each row bearing flowers at different periods during the year.

The authorities take great pride in the "uninterrupted power supply", which, in many areas of Uttar Pradesh, is a distant dream. This is the only part in the state where the generation, transmission and distribution of power has been entrusted to private hands.

"Our success lies in the fact that we ensure power connection without any waiting or wailing," says Kumar.

With the UP government committed to a new image in the industrial world by projecting Greater NOIDA as an "ideal industrial destination", special incentives have also been notified. These include exemption from trade tax on fixed capital investment for a period of 10 years on investments up to Rs 500 million. For investments over Rs 500 million, this exemption is for a period of 15 years.

Accordingly, for the first three years, a unit will remain totally exempt from trade tax. It will get 75 per exemption from the fourth to sixth year, followed by 50 per cent during the seventh and eighth year. In the ninth and tenth year, an exemption of 25 per cent will be applicable.

No wonder, then, that there was a substantial increase in the number of allotments this year. "In sharp contrast to last year's 13, we have made 255 fresh allotments this time," confirms Kumar.

Of the area's committed investment of Rs 70 billion, nearly 60 per cent have come form prominent names like Daewoo Motors, Honda Siel, Escorts Yamaha, Hero Motors, Samtel Colour, Reinz Talbros Asian Paints, L G Electronics, New Holland Tractors, HPCL and J K Magnetics.

What Greater NOIDA is keenly looking forward now is the arrival of the Tatas in the housing sector. This area has been given much emphasis, to develop the town as the 'City of 21st century.'

Located at a distance of about 38 kilometres from Connaught Place and about 50 km from the Indira Gandhi International airport, Greater NOIDA can be accessed by an expressway. The authorities aim to create facilities for a population of 300,000 by 2001.

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