Principal Secretary Industries & Commerce, Ranjan Prakash Thakur, today said that the Common Facility Centre (CFC), Sethar would soon be renovated and upgraded to provide the state of art infrastructure to the unit holders of Cricket bat industrial zone.
Principal Secretary said this during his visit to CFC, Sethar and various cricket bat units. He was accompanied by Director, Industries & Commerce, Kashmir, Nazim Khan and General Manager, DIC, Anantnag, Peerzada Zahoor Ahmad besides other officers of DIC.
During the inspection, Principal Secretary gave on spot directions to Director, I&C to immediately prepare DPR for renovation and upgradation of the CFC.
It is pertinent to mention here, that the CFC, Sethar was constructed at an estimated cost of Rs. 4.61 crore with plant and machinery installed by PPDC, Meerut at a cost of Rs. 2.46 crore. The objective of this CFC is to facilitate seasoning of willow clefts and provide all facilities to the Cricket Bat Unit holders under one roof.
During a brief interaction with the Cricket bat unit holders, Principal Secretary impressed upon the unit holders to use modern techniques in production of world class cricket bats. He said that LG, Manoj Sinha, is keen towards promotion of cricket bat industry of Kashmir enabling the Kashmir cricket bat become a world class product.
Thakur said that all the industrial units of Kashmir will get quality power supply within a period of six months as transmission infrastructure is being upgraded. He said that our main aim is to promote the industrial growth in this region and the present administration will provide all facilities to the unit holders. The government has already taken up various initiatives like New Industrial Policy 2021-30, New land Allotment Policy 2021-30 and New Central Sector Scheme for industrial growth in J&K.
Meanwhile, the Cricket Bat Manufacturers Association put forth their demands regarding early issuance of Forest License which are pending at Forest Department for a long time as the said area stands already notified as the Industrial Zone from Jawbrara Awantipora to Donipora Sangam on 2019 by the Industries Department. The Association requested to provide basic infrastructure facilities to the unit holders like uninterrupted power supply.
Principal Secretary assured the unit holders that he will convene a meeting of all the stake holders soon to discuss promotion of Kashmir Willow Bat besides discussing formulation of a comprehensive plan for promotion of Kashmir Willow bat at global level.
