Principal Secretary, Industries & Commerce (I&C), Navin Kumar Choudhary, Sunday declared Sethar Sangam as Notified Industrial Zone for Cricket Bat Manufacturing Industrial Cluster.
In this regard a function was held here, in which DeputyCommissioner, Anantnag, Khalid Jahangir, Managing Director SIDCO, Director Industriesand Commerce, ADC Anantnag, ADC Pulwama, Additional Secretary Tourism, SDMBijbehara and representatives of bat manufacturing unit holders of Anantnag andPulwama, according to an official spokesperson.
On the occasion, a special registration camp was alsoorganised by the Directorate of Industries & Commerce for the batmanufacturers of Anantnag and Pulwama districts.
Principal Secretary Chaudhary distributed registrationcertificates among bat manufacturing unit owners of Anantnag and Pulwama, whichwill enable them to avail all benefits from the government aimed atstrengthening the bat manufacturing industry.
The President and General Secretary Cricket BatManufacturing Association on the occasion put forward some demands for thecluster including availability of 24 hour power supply, relaxation in GST,identification of state land for willow production, establishing PHC office andbank branch, construction of CFC and close monitoring of willow smuggling.
The Principal Secretary assured that all their genuinedemands will be addressed at an earliest.
“All possible measures will be taken to promote bat industryand our government is committed to provide all the modern facilities to theregistered unit holders,” he said, adding that since the state produces willowof international standards, but it needs proper marketing and branding.
Chaudhary asked the DFO Anantnag to provide a detailedreport on production of willow on a larger scale in future. In, addition heemphasized on manufacturing of all the cricket goods including wickets, gloves,handles, balls and others.
He asked the SE PDD to provide uninterrupted power supply tothe Bat cluster, besides subsidized DG sets will be provided. He added that banking facilities will beestablished soon since the matter has been taken up with the concernedauthority.
Chaudhary also stressed on the development of a recreational park in the zone on the banks ofRiver Jhelum, with the state of art facilities including a Cafeteria,Handicrafts & Handloom showrooms and other such facilities to attracttourists.
Earlier, the DC Anantnag, thanked the Principal Secretaryfor so instrumental in notifying the Sethar Sangam as Industrial Zone forCricket Bat Manufacturing Cluster within a very short span of time. “It wouldhave not been possible without the intervention of the Principal Secretary,”the DC said.