
| NEWS NOTES The first Modular Food Park in India being set up in Dankuni
By special correspondent
T he first food processing industrial estate of the country is going to be set up in West Bengal. A private enterprise, named Module consultant has taken the initiative to develop the estate over an area of 530 acres near Dankuni, in Hooghly district. The Left Front government of West Bengal is providing module consultant with all necessary assistance including the acquisition of land for this purpose.The estate will be named the "Modular Food Park" after the name of the organising enterprise. Beside Bangkok and a few other places there is no such food park in the continent of Asia. In the proposed food park 250 food processing firms will be given place. Not only the large and medium entrepreneurs, the small producers will have an opportunity to work here. Generally, the facilities that are required to develop an estate, like those of Water supply, electric supply, sewerage etc will be provided here and strictly on the basis of this condition the Government has granted permission to Module consultant to develop the food park. The estate will also give other facilities to the producers, which are necessary for successful operation of the food processor units. There will be facilities for research and development of new methods for food processing. There will be cold storage as well. The minister of the Department of Food processing of West Bengal, Mr. Abdul Rajjak Molla has impressed hope that this food park will tremendously boost up the food processing industry of the state. The state Government is giving all types of assistance to small, medium and even large entrepreneurs who are involved in food processing. To promote the food processing industry of the state, the concerned Department has given Rs one crore to the entrepreneurs last year. An additional amount of Rs 15 lakhs has also been given as margin money loan. To attract more entrepreneurs towards this field the Government has already announced the facilities it will provide them. Some important announcement includes the provision of capital subsidy of 15% to 30% depending on the location of the factory. The government will give a subsidy amounting to 40% of capital expenditure to those who will invest upto Rs. 2 lakhs for factories and machines. If enterprises producing food items from fruits and vegetables spend Rs 5 lakhs for their factories and machines, they will be given sale tax exemption. The food processing enterprises will also be given subsidy for the purpose of electrification. The government is giving these facilities to the organiser to ensure the steady growth of food processing industry in the state. At present, West Bengal has 8658 registered food processing units of which 366 units process vegetables. In the financial year 1997-98, 27 projects were submitted to the department of food processing. The department to give approval to 17. In 1998-99 18 projects were submitted out of which 8 got clearance of the department. There is no doubt that the proposed Food Park will make the state one step forward towards the achievement of self-sufficiently in food processing. However, the future of this food park definitely would have come to a stand still of the Government had not come forward with its helping hand. |
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