With no takers, agro-based Jabalpur SEZ a foster son

Madhya Pradesh’s first agro-based special economic zone (SEZ) in Jabalpur is still waiting for response from investors to develop it. The Jabalpur division produces one of the finest varieties of peas, mango, water chestnut, rice and pulses. The notification for the SEZ was out in 2009.

“Jabalpur Audyogik Kendra Vikas Nigam (AKVN) will soon float RFQ (requisition for qualification) documents for third time as only two investors came forwrad during the last two expressions of interests,” a well placed government source told Business Standard.

The Jabalpur AKVN is in the lookout for a partner to develop, maintain and transfer back the SEZ to the government after a period of 30 years. Deloitte Touche Tohmatsu India has been picked up as consultant for the project.

 

The private partner, to be selected, will have on an area of 102 hectares, where nearly 50 hectares of land is available for industrialization. The private partner will have to ensure water, power and proper roads for the industry along with other facilities like chilling plant and storage facilities. The first phase, though, was planned by 2010; private partner has not been selected so far.

“Now the second phase is likely to be completed by 2016,” the source added.

“The total demand potential is 81 industrial units covering 341 acres and the off-take potential is 46 units covering 190 Acres. The SEZ will be developed in two phases by 2014,” the source added.

The first phase, though, was planned by 2010; private partner has not been selected so far. “Now the second phase is likely to be completed by 2016,” the source added.

The agro SEZ is expected to provide employment to nearly 4,000 people with units in phase-I are expected to generate 1,900 jobs and phase-II nearly 2,100.

Jabalpur AKVN estimates nearly 20-25 lakh tonnes of pea, 8 lakh tonnes of Totapari variety of mango and nearly 8 lakh tonnes of fine variety of tomato in the nearby areas. Further, poultry and milk products also offer a good potential. The SEZ also has availability of raw material like Paddy, basmati, mutton and lamb processing industries, dairy products, frozen peas, soybean based products, herbal products, biscuit manufacturing, pickles and chutneys.