Bengal govt urged Centre to give SEZ status to BLC

Kolkata, Jan 20: West Bengal government has urged the Centre to confer Special Economic Zone (SEZ) status to Bantala Leather Complex, Chief Minister Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee said while inaugurating the 31st Lexpo.

Speaking on the occassion , Mr Bhattacharjee said,''We have discussed the matter with the Union government and awaiting their nod.'' Elaborating on the growth of the leather sector in Bengal, he said though the state contributes towards 55 per cent of the total leather production in the country but it lags behind in export. This is mainly because of the unorganised nature of the sector.

Mr Bhatacharjee also said that the state was planning to set up a leather goods accessories park in Beleghata near the city. Apart from that, the state would also set up another leather complex in Dinajpur by spending 30 crore rupees.

He further added that all these projects would generate huge employement oppurtunities. The Bantala Leather Complex alone would be able to provide employement to 50,000 people.

Mr Bhatacharjee said the state is planning to set up a permanent exhibition centre so that no hullabaloo over the venue for a fair was created in future.

This year the Lexpo was shifted from Maidan to the Shahid Minar Maidan, he said.

Other guests present on the occassion were Minister of Cottage and Small-Scale industries Manab Mukherjee, Secretary of ILTA Asit Boron Kanunga among others.

Mr Bhattacharjee also inaugurated the Kanpur Leather House Pvt Ltd's pavillion today.

UNI

Related Stories
BJP MPs to visit Nandigram in West Bengal