Mail News Service
Jamshedpur, March 15 : A delegation of the Singhbhum Chamber of Commerce and Industry (SCCI) met Jharkhand Chief Minister Hemant Soren at the newly built Jharkhand Assembly complex in Ranchi on Saturday and raised several key issues concerning industrial growth and urban development in the Kolhan region.
The delegation was led by SCCI president Manav Kedia and included honorary general secretary Puneet Kauntia, vice-president (Tax & Finance) Rajeev Agarwal, vice-president (Industry) Harsh Bankrewal, secretary (Industry) Vinod Sharma, and secretary (Tax & Finance) Anshul Ringasia.
They were accompanied by Jamshedpur West MLA Saryu Roy and also witnessed the proceedings of the Assembly session during their visit.
During the meeting, the chamber placed four major issues before the Chief Minister. The foremost was the long-pending Dhalbhumgarh Airport project, which has remained stalled for more than six years.
The chamber urged the government to expedite the project, stating that the airport would significantly boost industrial, commercial and tourism activities in the Kolhan region.
The Chief Minister assured the delegation that he is personally monitoring the project and that progress will be seen soon.
Another major concern highlighted was the suspension of property registration in areas under Tata Steel’s command area in Jamshedpur for nearly a decade.
The chamber said the halt has adversely affected real estate activity, construction and overall urban development in the city, and requested the state government to take steps to resolve the issue.
The delegation also urged the government to grant land acquisition powers to the Jharkhand Industrial Area Development Authority (JIADA), similar to industrial development agencies in other states.
They pointed out that agencies such as the Karnataka Industrial Areas Development Board (KIADB), Maharashtra Industrial Development Corporation (MIDC), NOIDA, Greater NOIDA, Yamuna Expressway Industrial Development Authority and RIICO in Rajasthan have such powers, enabling them to develop industrial zones and create land banks. A similar mechanism in Jharkhand, they said, would encourage investment and help establish MSME industries.
Another issue raised was related to outdated land records in areas such as Jugsalai, Mango and several localities outside the Tata command area, where the land ownership still reflects the “Government of Bihar.”
The chamber requested the government to undertake a comprehensive land survey and update the records to avoid administrative and legal complications.
The delegation also met the state Chief Secretary and discussed the same issues in detail. Additionally, they raised concerns about the shortage of commercial LPG supply in the Jamshedpur–Adityapur industrial belt, which has been affecting industrial operations.
During their visit to the Assembly, the delegation also interacted with Finance Minister Radha Krishna Kishore, Jamshedpur East MLA Purnima Sahu, Baharagora MLA Sameer Mohanty, and Ghatshila MLA Somesh Soren.
SCCI president Manav Kedia later said that the Chief Minister and other representatives listened to the issues with seriousness and assured positive steps toward resolving them.
