EPCH seeks 200-acre land from UP govt for handicraft park

Export Promotion Council for Handicrafts (EPCH) has sought a 200-acre land from the Uttar Pradesh government for setting up a handicraft park on the Yamuna Expressway, which is expected to attract direct investments worth Rs 3,000 crore.

The proposed industrial park shall house around 250-300 small and medium manufacturer exporters and provide a range of facilities including common facility centres, testing labs and raw material banks to boost their market competitiveness. It is expected to create 25,000-30,000 jobs.

"It is requested to grant EPCH a land parcel of 200 acre under Yamuna Expressway Industrial Authority in line with the textile policy of the Centre, which mandates provision of land with price rebates of 30 per cent," EPCH said in a letter to the Infrastructure and Industrial Development Department of UP, earlier this month.

EPCH Executive Director Rakesh Kumar said the proposed park would be shot in the arm for the handicraft sector of UP which is currently grappling with issues like high cost of credit, lack of access to modern technology, high cost raw materials.

"The manufacturer exporters at the handicraft park would benefit from multiple synergies emanating from industrial park being in the vicinity of Eastern Dedicated Freight Corridor and India Exposition Mart.

"The upcoming Jewar airport is also expected to give a major push to tourism and meetings, incentives, conferences and exhibition related visits in the region," Kumar told PTI.

He said if the proposal does not go through with the UP government, EPCH may approach the Haryana government for setting up the handicraft park in the state.