Bengal proposes Rs 350cr leather cluster project to Centre

Kolkata: West Bengal government has submitted a Rs 350-crore project for Bantala leather cluster, aiming to modernise and expand the existing Calcutta Leather Complex located in the outskirts of the city, a minister said on Monday.

"We have already sent a proposal to the Centre for co-funding in the Rs 350-crore project. But, we are not waiting but going ahead with some of the components of the project," state Finance Minister Amit Mitra said.

He, however, did not reveal the amounts of respective shares of the state and central centre governments in the project.

In the past several years, tanneries in the Leather Complex have been complaining against the inadequate infrastructure.

"Already, five lakh people are associated with the sector and I hope additional two lakh more employment would be generated once the project is complete," Mitra said while inaugurating a leather exhibition and fair here.

Mitra also claimed about 300 fresh applications from Kanpur, Chennai and Kolkata were received expressing interest in setting up new units here.

State's leather and leather products exports account for about USD one billion out of aggregate exports of USD 8.5 billion in 2016-17, Mitra added.