DS Group to invest more in North East

Guwahati, May 26(UNI): Dharampal Satyapal Group (DS Group) of industries, the leading manufacturer of chewing tobacco segment in the world, is all set to become one of the largest group of industries in the North East with its diversified projects being set up in Asom and Tripura.

Addressing reporters in Guwahati today, DS Group territorial head Brigadier (retd) M Kumar said the company is all set to start production from its newly set up 400 MT capacity packaging unit in Guwahati. The Rs 60 Crore project was taken up about two years ago and the first phase of the project is already complete with production expected to start from the third week of next month.

He said expansion would take place as per demands within the next two years, with the company earmarking Rs 300 crore for the three-phase project.

''We have received good support from the local people and we hope if our marketing goes well, the expansions will come as per schedule,'' the Brigadier said.

The group, already in operation through its unit in the industrial estate in Guwahati, is also setting up a rubber thread manufacturing plant in Tripura and another Rs 250 crore steel sheet plant in the same state. While the rubber plant will start manufacturing from this year itself, the steel plant will start production from the next year.

''We have plans to venture into power sector, education and health care in the near future, apart from other avenues and also set up export oriented units depending on the requirements of neighbouring Bangladesh and other countries,'' Mr Kumar said.

The company has employed mostly local people in its plants as has been indicated by the fact that over 1500 employees working in Guwahati for the DS Group are local people.

''The new packaging unit, although automated and equipped with latest Italian technology, will need only a few hundred employees.

We have decided to train local educated youths to handle the equipment so that we can employ them,'' the regional head of the Rs 900 crore company said.

With its new ventures becoming operational shortly, the DS Group of industries is making its presence felt in the region apart from providing employment to thousands.

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