Wednesday, April 27, 2016

"Water Audit Scheme" for MSMEs

Chandigarh, April 27
The Haryana Government has notified "Water Audit Scheme" for Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) to encourage water harvesting and conservation in industrial units in the state.
       While stating this here today, a spokesman of Industries and Commerce Department said that it also involves measuring the actual water consumption of various water consumption gadgets used in the premises of the enterprise, comparing it with an estimate of the minimum water required to undertake the process and establishing technically and economically feasible means to achieve the same and suggest best ways to optimize the water consumption leading to water saving and cutting down water consumption bills.
       Referring to the quantum of assistance, he said that 75 per cent reimbursement of cost of water audit limited to a maximum of Rs. one lakh and subsidy up to 50 per cent or maximum of Rs. 20 lakh on the cost of capital equipment required for water conservation or harvesting systems would be provided to an eligible MSME under the scheme. He said that the scheme will remain in operation for  five years. The MSMEs which have undertaken water audit and purchased equipments after August 14, 2015 and before August 14, 2020 would be eligible under this scheme, he added.
        He said that all existing MSMEs units anywhere in the state, which have filed EM Part-II or Udyog Aadhaar Memorandum (UAM) with respective District Industries Centre, would be eligible to apply under the scheme. Such enterprises would be provided financial assistance provided that the water audit has been done by an ISO certified agency.
       Detailing about the other criteria of eligibility, he said that the item of manufacture should not fall in the restrictive list as notified by the State Government from time to time. The assistance on cost of capital equipments will be eligible only if there has been at least 25 per cent reduction in the water consumption of average monthly consumption of previous 12 months before conducting of audit. Even after taking all steps for efficient use of water, if consumption is increasing due to increase in production then such claim will be examined separately by a committee to be constituted by the Director of Industries and Commerce. Investments in new plant, machinery and equipments focused towards enhancing water conservation shall only be eligible for subsidy under this scheme. The unit should have obtained NOC/CLU from competent authority, if applicable. The unit should be in commercial production. In addition, the unit should be in regular production at the time of disbursement. The assistance shall not be released to a closed unit, he added.
          He said that application for the reimbursement of expenses incurred in conducting water audit and purchase of capital equipments along with listed documents would be submitted to the Director of Industries and Commerce, on the web portal of the department within three months from the date of completion of water audit/ purchase of capital equipment. In case the deficiencies are not removed within prescribed period, the claim may be filed by the Competent Authority, under intimation to the applicant through an e-mail. The enterprise shall not be required to submit any additional document other than specified under Annexure-I without approval of competent authority.
          He said that Director Industries and Commerce will be competent authority to sanction assistance within 30 days from the date of completion of the claim whereas Principal Secretary, Industries and Commerce will be competent to make interpretation or relaxation of any provision of this scheme.

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