Delhi’s industries minister Haroon Yusuf on Monday said that environment will always remain a priority for the Delhi government which will promote only those industries that do not pose a threat to city’s environment and its people.

He said, “Over the years, Delhi has efficiently maintained city's status as a high-income industrialised city while preserving its environment. Environment is one of our top priorities and in future we will promote knowledge based, non-polluting, energy-efficient service sector and high-tech industries in Delhi,” said Yusuf, while addressing a press conference on the occasion of Delhi Day celebrations.

The minister revealed that Delhi’s GDP is Rs 2.13 lakh crore for 2010-11, which is an increase of 11.43 per cent over the previous year. “Even the average annual GDP growth rate of Delhi is 15 per cent during the last one decade against 8.9 per cent on all India basis,” said Yusuf, while adding that Delhi doesn’t need to promote the polluting-making industries, since it is already financially sound.

According to the minister, Delhi’s industrial policy 2010-2021 aims to make this city a hub of clean, high-technology & skilled economic activities by 2021. “To achieve our aims, the government will endeavour to develop world-class infrastructure within planned industrial estates and non-conforming industrial clusters notified for redevelopment, promote cluster approach and walk to work concepts wherever possible, facilitate business through procedural simplifications and e-governance measures, and to promote transparent and business-friendly environment,” he said.

While referring to the development of infrastructure, Yusuf said the government has decided to develop and maintain industrial infrastructure on Public Private Partnership (PPP) basis in various areas, out of which the work has already been started in Narela & Bawana.

“The operator has to complete the work of upgrading infrastructure in two years. There has been a marked improvement in quality of roads and other infrastructure in last six months since the work started in Narela & Bawana,” the minister stressed.
Yusuf also spoke about Business Facilitation Council which has been established to facilitate entrepreneurs in obtaining departmental clearances required to set up industrial units in Delhi.