AP to emerge as largest manufacturer of foot wear in India

Hyderabad, Jul 29 (UNI) With the Andhra Pradesh Government's decision to set up a Special Economic Zone (SEZ) for leather products in 600 acres Tada in Nellore district, the state would emerge as India's largest manufacturer footwear and leather products, Union Minister of State for Commerce Jairam Ramesh opined.

Talking to the mediapersons after a discussion with Chief Minister Y S Rajasekhara Reddy here today, he said the proposed leather SEZ would be developed jointly by Andhra Pradesh Industrial Infrastructure Development Corporation, Consortium of shoe manufacturers and Tatas.

He said Tatas had come forward to invest Rs 100 crore for the development of the SEZ in which Tata International, A V Thomas Limited and India Shoe Company had already agreed to set up their manufacturing units.

He said Dr Reddy told him that an application for the SEZ would be sent within a week and the Union Commerce Ministry would take not more than a month for approving it.

The SEZ would be operational within a year. In three years, the SEZ's exports would be Rs 2,200 crore and it would provide employment to 15,000 persons, 70 of whom would be women, the minister said adding that there would be no environmental problems as tanneries would not be set up there.

Of the 2.3 billion dollar leather product export from India, Tamil Nadu's contribution was 50 per cent while Andhra Pradesh's contribution was zero.

Dr Reddy had directed the officials to look for a place near a water source for setting up the tanneries, Mr Ramesh said.

The Minister said that he had also discussed with the Chief Minister on the setting up of an Auto Cluster at a cost of Rs 31 crore of which Centre's contribution would be Rs 23 crore.

Mr Ramesh said his Ministry had decided to set up a National Centre for Sustainable Aquaculture at Kakinada in Andhra Pradesh as the state's contribution in export of marine products was 40 per cent. The Marine Products Export Development Authority(MPEDA) would carry out to establish the Centre, he said adding that so far the export product was only shrimps and products like Tuna would be brought into the export market.

Mr Ramesh said under the 'assistance to states for infrastructure development' scheme, the Chief Minister had sought assistane for the Rs 20 crore Apparal City in Achyutapuram in Visakhapatnam district, Rs 24 crore Tada Project and the Rs 7 crore Textile Proceesing Unit at Indra Karan in Medak district.

He said he had also discussed with Dr Reddy on the delay in completing the five Agriculture Export Zones (AEZ) started at a cost of Rs 200 crore. Stating that the AEZ's progress was slow all over the country, he said the Agriculture Products Export Development Authority (APEDA) would take special interest in hastening the projects.

UNI JRK ROY ADB2045