Rs 540 crore for Bantala leather hub infra boost

Kolkata: State Commerce and Industry minister Amit Mitra said the state government is spending Rs 540 crores for developing infrastructure at the leather hub at Bantala where around 100 tanneries from Kanpur will be shifting in the years to come.

"The present turnover of Calcutta Leather Complex (CLC) stands at Rs 13,500 crores. We are targeting to take it upto Rs 30,000 crores in the next five years," Mitra said at the inauguration ceremony of two-day India, Leather and Accessories Fair at ITC Royal Bengal hotel on Friday.

The fair is being organised by India Trade Promotion Organisation (ITPO) with active support from CLC Tanners Association, India Footwear and Components Manufacture Association, Central Leather Research Institute, India Leather Chemical Promotion Association and state Commerce and Industry department.

Thirty-seven international buyers from countries such as USA, Korea, Italy , Spain, Potugal, Poland , Kenya, Sri Lanka, Germany to name a few are taking part in the two-day fair.

"The organisers had received order of Rs 2,000 crores last year. I would like to see orders worth Rs 3,000 crore from this exhibition this year, " Mitra said.

It was on July 18 when Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee inaugurated a slew of new projects and laid the foundation stones of many others at Asia's first "Integrated Leather Complex" at Bantala, the completion of which would generate 5 lakh employments in near future.

A footwear park spread over an area of 60 acre is also coming up which is expected to have an investment of Rs 800 crore. The employment potential is projected at 7,000.

Presently, 385 tanneries and 40 leather goods units are operational in Bantala Leather Complex.