The Hindu Business Line : Reddy unhappy over slow pace of Brandix project

The Government had agreed to allot 1,000 acres of land on the condition that 60,000 jobs would be generated and that many companies would set up shop in the park.

Visakhapatnam , Sept. 11

The Chief Minister, Dr Y. Rajasekhara Reddy, has expressed his displeasure over the slow pace of progress in the implementation of the Brandix India Company's apparel park project in Visakhapatnam district and instructed the company officials to accelerate it.

At a press meet here on Monday morning, the Chief Minister reminded the company representative, Mr Anton Jayawardene, that when the MoU was signed more than a year ago, the Government had agreed to allot 1,000 acres of land on the condition that 60,000 jobs would be generated and that many companies would set up shop in the park.

"But now just a couple of companies seem to have evinced interest. We are concerned over the slow pace of project and we want you to speed things up," he told the company representative.

The company representative told the Chief Minister that by May 2007, there would be 1,200 employees. Till the creation of infrastructure facilities in the park, temporary arrangements were being made to train the employees.

He said there need be no doubts over the employment generation potential of the project and by 2010-11 it should be possible to generate the promised 60,000 jobs.

Answering queries over the proposed Jindal aluminium smelter project and bauxite mining in Visakhapatnam district, the Chief Minister said some NGOs and a few political parties were raising a hue and cry over the project.

"There are no tribal families within a radius of 1 km from the site and there are hardly 600 tribal families beyond the limit and we are taking all steps to provide them all facilities and improve their standard of living. "But some NGOs and parties seem to take the view that the tribals should remain in the hills and be denied the fruits of development forever. The project will certainly improve the lot of Girijans," he said.

Referring to the opposition to uranium mining in the Kadapa district, he said that a few NGOs were playing a disruptive role.

"There is hardly anything there - no agriculture, no industry - and the project will bring in investment to the extent of Rs 1,200 crore. There is no hazard. Still, some outside NGOs are inciting the people," he said.

Dr Rajasekhara Reddy asserted that in spite of these hurdles, his Government would go ahead with these projects and remove the apprehensions of people by educating them.

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