Hero to set up ₹400 cr cycle manufacturing unit in state

In the third edition of Bengal Global Business Summit 2017 on Friday, Pankaj Munjal, CMD of Hero Motor Group announced that it will set up a cycle factory in the state. This was followed by the massive success of Sabuj Sathi project which provides free cycles to students of state-run, aided and sponsored schools.

West Bengal has been deprived of a cycle manufacturing unit for the past four decades and this project seems a breakthrough for the state. Around Rs, 400 crore is expected to be pumped into the project. The venue of the factory is yet to be decided, said sources.

The Backward Classes Welfare department which is in charge of the Sabuj Sathi Project will be flying to Punjab to visit the Hero Motor cycle factory.

The idea of distributing cycles to students of classes IX, X, XI and XII in state-run, aided and sponsored schools was first conceived by Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee. The state Finance minister Amit Mitra had announced the scheme in his 2015-16 budget speech. Banerjee named the project Sabuj Sathi and sketched the logo which is embossed on the body of these cycles. Despite stiff opposition, Banerjee scripted history when Bengal was declared the first state to have distributed 35 lakh cycles for free of cost.

Sanjay Thade, Principal Secretary, BCW department was tasked with proper execution of the project. The department also maintains a record of the students, their schools and families. This year, nearly 30 lakh students will be receiving cycles.