Footwear park to come up in Bengal:Ramesh

Kolkata, Jun 14 (UNI) In order to boost leather exports from Bengal, a Footwear and Footwear Component Park will be set up in the Calcutta Leather Complex (CLE), in the fringes of the city.

Speaking to mediapersons here today, Union Minister of State for Commerce&Industry Jairam Ramesh said the park was needed to increase the state's share in the overall export of leather goods, garments, gloves, wallets apart from footwear.

In the total export of USD three billion in 2006-07, Bengal's share was only 15 per cent, he said.

Mr Ramesh said, ''I have visited the CLE and have identified 120 acres of land for the park. Various private companies can invest in the park while the land will be offered by the state.'' The Centre would open a Central Footwear Design &Development Institute in the proposed Footwear Park with an investment of Rs 10 crore.

''The government also aims to develop five major leather hubs in the country. These are Chennai, Nellore, Kanpur, Agra and Kolkata,'' he said.

The minister today also visited the West Bengal Trade Promotion Centre. The Rs 45 crore centre, built in 18 acres of land, would be ready in November.

''We have contributed Rs 15 crore and Rs 30 crore has been spent by state government,'' he said.

UNI