UP to set up handicrafts SEZ in Moradabad

Lucknow, Nov 29 (UNI) Convergence of traditional craft, skill, art and better infrastructural facilities is set to place Uttar Pradesh on the road to economic recovery with the governmnent's decision to set up Special Economic Zone(SEZ) for handicraft products in Moradabad.

The SEZ is being developed to provide congenial environment and facilities to Art Metal entrepreneurs to boost the productivity of export-oriented units in accordance with the changing demands of international market.

Moradabad art metal industry was established during the Mughal period in India and the brassware cottage industry flourished in the early 19th century with Britishers taking the art to foreign markets.

Skilled artisans from Varanasi, Lucknow, Agra and Jalesar also migrated to Moradabad. Skill and art have been transferred from generation to generation since then and in 1980's various other metal wares like brass, EPNS, iron, aluminium and others were also introduced to the art industry of Moradabad.

Udyog Bandhu executive director, Narendra Bhooshan said here today that state government has taken several positive steps to promote and encourage this traditional and famous cottage industry of Moradabad in order to make it viable to compete with China and other south Asian countries.

''Moradabad has the distinction of being one of the first 10 SEZs to be notified by the Government of India,'' he claimed.

Moradabad's contribution in the exports of handicrafts is around Rs 1,500-2,000 crore per year making it the numero uno in this field in the country. National export of art metal registered an increase of 8.86 per cent in 2005-06. However, the export of these products went up by 14.98 per cent which was worth Rs 1,499.05 crore during April-August in 2006-07 as compared to Rs 1,303.75 crore in 2005-06.

Till now there were three small industrial areas in Moradabad namely, Harthal Industrial Estate, Lakri Fazalpur, and Peetal Nagri where candle stands, vases, lamps and artifacts with intricate designs are the main products.

Uttar Pradesh State Development Corporation (UPSIDC) Managing Director C K Tewary said under phase one of the SEZ 469 plots of different sizes have been developed on 421.56 acres of land and all of them have been allotted to the entrepeneurs.

''In view of the overwhelming response and demand for more plots in Moradabad SEZ, this project is proposed to be expanded in phase two for which 676 acres adjacent land is being acquired, he said.

UPSIDC MD said it is imperative and essential for exporters and entrepreneurs to involve small scale cottage artisans actively in their units, set up in the SEZ to maintain the unique identity of this art and this will certainly contribute towards overall socio-economic development of Moradabad and its adjoining areas.

Responding to the long standing demand of Moradabad entrepreneurs for relaxation in stamp duty, the state government had already announced that it will grant relaxation in stamp duty to entrepreneurs under Section 35 of the Indian Stamp Act, 1899, in the Special Economic Zone (SEZ) of Moradabad.

The relaxation will be provided on ''pattas'' executed in favour of entrepreneur by developer of the industrial plot or standard design factory at the SEZ processing area.

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