LG sets up AC unit in Uttaranchal

Costs firm Rs 10 crore

LG Electronics India has set up a world class air-conditioner manufacturing unit at an investment of Rs 10 crore in the Selaqui area near here.

The unit, being considered one of the biggest manufacturing facility for producing window/split air-conditioner and commercial air-conditioner, would manufacture about 300,000 air-conditioners in 2004 with a total turnover of approximately Rs 400 crore, said Kwang-Ro Kim, managing director of LG Electronics India.

To monitor the functioning of this unit, the company had opened a local office in Selaqui and would provide research and development, quality and manufacturing support, Kim said.

Kim said air-conditioners were being sourced from three manufacturers, Amber, Dixon and E-Durables, all of them are located in Dehra Dun.

With the opening of Selaqui unit, the company had now four manufacturing base including its major research and development and production facility at Greater Noida in Uttar Pradesh, said the LG Electronics managing director.

The company also planned to manufacture top-end products like projection television/high-end 25x29 inch colour televisions, fully automatic washing machines and microwave ovens at the Selaqui unit, Kim said.

He said in addition to providing direct jobs to nearly 500 people locally, the company would also create a local vendor base for supplying components locally, which in turn would generate additional job opportunities and revenue for the Uttaranchal government.

Land Bill: The Uttaranchal government has referred the Bill, replacing the controversial land ordinance that bars non-farmers to buy agriculture land in the state, to a select committee of the Assembly, which will submit its report by December 29.

The select committee would comprise legislators belonging to all parties, Parliamentary Affairs Minister Indira Hridayesh said.

The committee would give its report by December 29 and the Bill would be passed in the current session itself, she said.

The names of members of the committee would be announced by Speaker Yashpal Arya, the minister said.

The move to refer the Bill to the select committee came following reservations expressed by the main opposition BJP, which wanted some amendments in the Bill.

On the other hand, the Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) is calling for withdrawal of the Bill while the Uttarakhand Kranti Dal is in favour of passing it in its original form.

The controversial land ordinance, which was promulgated on September 12, has resulted in a political storm in the state particularly in plain areas like Hardwar, Dehra Dun and Udhamsingh Nagar, where people are holding daily protests against the move.

Spreading reach

• Selaqui unit will manufacture about 300,000 air-conditioners in 2004 with a total turnover of Rs 400 crore
• With the opening of Selaqui unit, the company has now four manufacturing bases including its major research and development and production facility in Greater Noida
• The company plans to manufacture top-end products like projection television/high-end 25x29 inch colour televisions, fully automatic washing machines and microwave ovens at the Selaqui unit