Jammu, July 8
In major push to transform Kathua district into a major industrial hub, the Jammu and Kashmir administration has cleared the decks for investment worth Rs 13,000 crores in the Bhagthali Industrial Estate that promises to generate 17,000 jobs.
The Bhagthali Industrial Estate is coming up in two phases on 3,322 kanals of land with an investment of Rs 13,009.13 crores, said an official Commissioner, Jammu and Kashmir Department of Industries and Commerce, Vikramjit Singh, told UNI, “For the first time ever, large industry has come to J&K in cutting edge areas like manufacturing of solar wafers and solar cells.”
Official sources told UNI, “Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha-headed administration has issued directions and taken a decision to provide up to 360 MW of electricity to the Estate area.”
They added that Chief Secretary Atal Dulloo, who regularly reviews the mega project, the Industries and Commerce Department is in touch with the revenue wing to get more land for the project.
Arun Manhas, Director Industries, Jammu, told UNI, “The Industrial Estate after establishment of mega corporate houses will directly or indirectly have a potential to employ 17,468 people.”
“Big industrial names from across the country have agreed to set up units at Bhagthali Industrial Estate,” said Manhas, adding that development of infrastructure and facilities in the Estate are in progress.
Manhas said that the Bhagthali-I Industrial Phase, with an investment of Rs 7,617.64 crore, will have a potential to generate employment for 9,443 people and it is coming up on 2,099 kanals of land and has been sanctioned 143.5 MW power supply.
“Bhagithali-II, with an investment of Rs 5,391.49 crore, will come up on 1,223 kanals of land and will generate 8,025 jobs. It has a sanctioned load of 64.79 MW of power supply,” Manhas said.
Manhas said 480 kanals of surrendered land is in the process of retrieval and possessions by J&K SIDCO at Bhagthali-I.
