UP setting up gems & jewellery centre in Meerut

Centre is being set up at a cost of Rs 5.26 cr under Assistance to States for Development of Export Infrastructure and Allied Activities (ASIDE) Scheme of Central Govt

The Uttar Pradesh government is setting up a gems and jewellery centre in Meerut, to boost exports and trade in precious stones and metals.

The centre is being set up at an investment of over Rs 5.26 crore, under the Assistance to States for Development of Export Infrastructure and Allied Activities (ASIDE) scheme of the central government.

In a review meeting of the state-level export promotion council here, Uttar Pradesh Chief Secretary Alok Ranjan directed the officials to speed up the work on the project, so that the gems and jewellery centre is ready for inauguration in the first week of April.

Under the ASIDE scheme, so far 118 projects in the state had been approved, while 72 projects worth over Rs 880 crore are underway.

He directed that all the infrastructure projects aimed at export development in the state must be top geared to meet the set timelines.

Currently, 28 projects are in the process of being completed in the state. Ranjan has further directed that the work on the menthol oil project in Barabanki should be completed by next month.

Some of the projects approved under ASIDE include common facility centre (CFC) for designing, packaging and labeling, Moradabad, CFC for engineering and automotive products in Aligarh and CFC for wood industry. These are estimated to cost around Rs 56 crore.

Besides, a design development and training centre for the zari industry is also being set up and is likely to be completed during 2015-16.