Abhishek Ind's Budni fabric unit on track

Trident group-promoted Abhishek Industries' plan for its Rs 950 crore investment for setting up a sheeting fabric unit in Budni (home constituency of Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan) is proceeding smoothly. Budni is close to the Mandideep industrial area.

Although farmers have jacked up prices to get their land acquired by government or private companies, Trident has acquired 700 acres of land privately and is awaiting clearance for 125 acres more.

A company source confirmed and said, "work on the project is likely to start after rainy season. State government has to allot us a land area of 25 acres and another 50-100 acres land is to be acquired for us from private owners."

An official in the department of industry said, "the required land area will be acquired for the company as soon as possible."

Trident has proposed to set up a sheeting unit of 2 lakh spindle capacity with an investment of Rs 950 crore. The company is also in talk for other agri related project with the government at a later stage.

The company is likely to scale up the quantum of its investment at a later stage. Initially, it will create direct employment for more than 3,000 people. The unit will have 200,000 spindles and 400 looms. The company will set up a sheeting fabric, terry towel and yarn unit which will be a 100 percent export-oriented.

Although company and state government is confident on acquiring land privately from farmers, farmers who own a combined land area of 50-100 acres in between (adjacent to main road) are reportedly reluctant to surrender land at lower rates. Recently Nahar had dropped plan to investment in Madhya Pradesh on land issue since government failed to acquire land for the company.

After Eicher Motors in 1996 no big investment has taken shape in the Mandideep industrial area. A few number of textile manufacturers have shown interest in proposed Satlapur textile park which still has to come out of drawing board.