Four more firms keen on Katni stone park

Total investment may go up to Rs 200 crore

The Hardua stone park (Katni district) in Madhya Pradesh has attracted four more firms in marble cutting and polishing. They plan to invest about Rs 6 crore.

A Rajasthan-based firm, Kushalbagh Marbles, had planned a huge investment of Rs 10 crore in the park but a response from the company is awaited. The MP government is expecting an investment of Rs 200 crore within and outside the park within two years.

These companies have planned to set up a marble slab cutting and polishing units in the park, being developed by the Madhya Pradesh Audyogik Kendra Vikas Nigam.

Two firms have started production. "This would be the biggest investment so far in the stone park," said a top official of the MPAKVN, Jabalpur.

Samdariya Enterprises and Shree Venkteshwar Marble have started production with an investment of Rs 1.20 crore and Rs 80 lakh, respectively. The new firms that have proposed investment are Divya Marbles (Rs 1.69 crore), Pashupati Marbles Pvt Ltd (Rs 2.18 crore), Marble Plaza (Rs 93.65 crore), and Yadu Marbles Overseas Ltd. The first three firms have been allotted land in the park while Yadu Marbles has proposed to invest Rs 97 lakh.

"We are yet to receive a response from Kushalbagh Marbles, though we had issued a letter of intent to the firm," a senior official told Business Standard.

"Within two years there will be ten units within and outside the park. But the number of operating companies may reach 50 and the investment may go up to Rs 200 crore," said KK Tiwari, managing director, MPAKVN, Jabalpur.

The Katni stone park is spread on an area of 100 acres, and the estimated deposits of Katni marbles in the region are estimated at 3,283.42 lakh cubic metres. "The MPAKVN has invested Rs 1.25 crore in the park for roads, power, etc. and an annual marble fair like that of Rajasthan is also on the anvil," Tiwari said, adding, "It would be a kind of buyer-seller meet."

Katni marbles resemble the Italian varieties and it also has pure white and gray-white marbles. The first five units that have made investment have been given a 50 per cent rebate on premium land prices. The next five units will get a 25 per cent rebate, while the rest will be offered payment of land premium in installments without rebate.

The stone park is situated in Hardua-Khadwal village near Sleemnabad town (1 km away), established by a British official called William Sleeman.