INDIA: Eight more Integrated T&G Parks to be setup in West Bengal
At the inaugural ceremony of ‘Paridhan’, an Integrated Textile and Apparel Park, the Chief Minister of West Bengal, Mr Bhattacharya said that the government is looking at buying properties of several sick units, which have been referred to the Board for Industrial Reconstruction (BIFR), to promote the textile sector and generate employment in the state.
He said, there are hundreds of closed units, which were declared sick and have closed down and referred to BIFR. Since these units have lots of vacant land, the government plans to approach the concerned departments and set up new investment avenues in those vacant premises, which can create lots of employment opportunities in the state.
‘Paridhan’ has been built on the site of the National Potteries Ltd, which had fallen sick and had to be shifted due to environmental concerns and was purchased by the West Bengal Industrial Development Corporation (WBIDC). The industrial park is expected to create 8,000 direct jobs and 24,000 indirect ones by 2010.
The textile and garment park is spread over 8.78 acres and the first phase with a built up area of 403,600 sq.mtrs has been constructed at a cost of Rs 359.9 million. Work on the second phase has already begun and would be ready by 2010. All the 85 units have been sold, out of which 24 have started operation providing employment to 1,100 workers.
The textile and garment is a focus area of the government, since it has the required manpower and it intends to set up eight more such textile parks and in the process meet the target of generating 1 million jobs and is in talks with textile ministry at the centre to realize these goals, said Mr Mukerjee, Minister for Micro and Small Industries.
Added: March 2, 2009 Source: Agencies