Aleap to set up all-woman export-oriented park

The Association of Lady Entrepreneurs of Andhra Pradesh (Aleap) is planning to set up an export-oriented industrial park for garments and food processing units run by women at Chevella in a year.

To be set up in 20 acres, the park will have multi-storied buildings to house the operations. The land is being allotted by the state government.

Speaking to Business Standard, Aleap president K Ramadevi said the Centre was providing 40 per cent of the estimated investment of Rs 10 crore towards grant.

InWEnt and Adelphi Research of Germany have agreed to support the project by setting up a design centre, training centre and certification mechanism at the park. The park would be developed as per international standards.

Ramadevi said that instead of allocating land to individual units, multi-storied buildings would be built in the park and each unit would be provided 1,200 square yards.

About 24 garment and food processing units have been selected to send their product samples to various buyers in Europe and other countries after undergoing training and market exposure trips under the EU-India Network of Women Entrepreneurs (EINWE). These units are now in the process of entering export contracts with the buyers from these countries.

According to Ramadevi, all the 24 entrepreneurs would set up units at the Chevella industrial park to meet their export orders. This is going to be the first park exclusively meant for export market involving women entrepreneurs.

The park is expected to provide employment to about 3,000 women. Aleap has already set up two industrial parks "� one on the city outskirts and the other in Vijayawada "� to house garment and food processing operations by women.