Bhubaneswar, Oct 21: Orissa Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik today demanded that the Central government's incentives for industrial development in special category states should also be extended to the underdeveloped Koraput-Balangir-Kalahandi (KBK) region of the state. "Though these districts are among the poorest in the country and their economic indicators worse than the special category states', the Central incentives are denied to them," Patnaik said here, inaugurating a seminar on growth and rehabilitation of SSI sector.

The incentives include central excise exemption, income tax benefits and central capital investment subsidy, he said.

The state government was of the view that either the same incentives should be provided to the KBK districts or the state government be allowed to prepare a special package of incentives for industries in these districts for priority funding under the Revised Long Term Action Plan (RLTAP), he said.

"I would specially request the planning commission and the ministry of SSI to support our request in this regard," the chief minister said.

The seminar, organised by the state planning board, was presided over by its deputy chairman, A P Singh and addressed by industries minister K V Singh Deo and energy minister Suryanarayan Patra.
Bureau Report