HC sends solar plant registration cases to panel

Dehradun: Uttarakhand HC, hearing a batch of petitions related to Industrial Development Scheme, 2017, directed that the issue of registration be examined by an empowered committee under department for promotion of industry and internal trade (DPIIT), earlier known as department of industrial policy and promotion (DIPP). "Registration matters shall be considered by the empowered committee under DIPP," the court said.The lead petitioner was a company that had set up a solar power plant in village Diyadi Patti, Maunda Dasyun, in Pauri Garhwal district and sought benefits under the scheme, which provides incentives to eligible units registered under it. Other petitions raising similar issues were also heard together.The petitioners said they had invested in their units and had also taken steps to seek registration, but later faced a setback when communications from the Centre said benefits under the scheme would be available only to registered entities. They argued that this excluded units that had already invested and applied but had not been granted registration.HC heard the petitions together and noted that a similar issue had earlier been decided by Himachal Pradesh HC. Relying on that line of decisions, which the court said had attained finality up to SC, Uttarakhand HC held that the issues raised in the present petitions were identical to those already decided. Disposing of the petitions, the court said, "Each case shall be examined individually," and added, "The exercise shall be completed within four months."