March 4, 2019
Bantala leather complex set to become global leather hub
Kolkata has always been an important leather hub in India. Under the Trinamool-led Bangla Government, the Calcutta Leather Complex (CLC) in Bantala is poised to become the world’s largest leather cluster, with the potential to employ more than 6 lakh people, in the next few years.
Currently, the complex has a turnover of Rs 13,500 crore including export and local sale and employs over 2.5 lakh workers directly.
The State Finance Minister, Dr Amit Mitra announced at a programme in Bantala on February 26, 2019 that the State Government is planning to spend Rs 540 crore for massive infrastructure development with the intention of turning the leather hub into the world’s largest.
There are plans to add 200 more tanneries and 230 more leather units and footwear parks on the available 230 acres of space, adding to the existing 300 tanneries and 40 leather goods manufacturing units. The existing turnover expected to rise to Rs 27,000 crore in the near future.
At the event, the minister handed over letters of land allotment to 25 big tanneries including 12 each from Kanpur and Kolkata and one from Chennai.
Further expounding on the infrastructural development plans, the Dr Mitra said that four common effluent treatment plants (CETP) are already under renovation, while four more worth Rs 168 crore will be set up.
It may also be mentioned that there are plans to set up dumping grounds at Bantala for disposal of toxic waste while the State is also coming up with a modern design centre and a road network as part of the infrastructural boost.
Source: Millennium Post
