Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar
The newly developed Jaipur MIDC also known as “Additional Shendra” has stirred discontent among industrial bodies due to its land rates being Rs 200 per sq. m higher than those in Auric Shendra and Bidkin zones. The Maharashtra Industrial Development Corporation (MIDC) has fixed land prices at Rs 3,720 per sq. m in Jaipur, compared to Rs 3,520 per sq. m in Auric, despite Jaipur offering fewer facilities.
Local industry associations have raised serious concerns over the pricing, stating that it pushes micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs) out of the race for industrial land. The Marathwada Association of Small Scale Industries and Agriculture (Massia) and the Waluj Industrial Association have jointly demanded subsidized land rates for MSMEs. With 95% of plots already allotted in Auric City and land availability shrinking fast, Jaipur MIDC was developed to absorb rising demand. Infrastructure work is nearing completion, and land allotments are expected to begin within two months. However, high rates have dampened expectations. “MSMEs had pinned hopes on MIDC rates being lower than Auric. But Jaipur’s pricing has left small entrepreneurs disheartened,” said Arjun Gaikwad, president of Massia. Many small business owners fear that investing heavily in land will leave no room for actual unit development. This concern was echoed by Vasant Waghmare, president of the Waluj Industrial Association: “It is unfair to apply the same land rate to MSMEs as to giants like Toyota or JSW. Small units need land at nominal rates to survive.” The rising land costs come at a time when large-scale industries like Toyota-Kirloskar, JSW, Lubrizol, and Ather Energy have already committed to the Bidkin belt, further pushing MSMEs to the margins.