Videocon plans Rs 200 cr electronics unit at Siliguri

The Videocon group is planning to invest over Rs 200 crore in setting up a state-of-the-art electronics unit near Siliguri in north Bengal.

Ashok Bhattacharya, urban development minister of West Bengal, and also minister in charge of north Bengal, said Videocon has finalised the project.

"The group has acquired land from the now-closed Kanchan Food Products complex near Siliguri. The government had detailed discussions today with the promoters on the project who has asked for more land," he said.

V N Dhoot, chairman, Videocon group, met Chief Minister Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee and urban development minister Ashok Bhattacharya regarding the proposed project today.

According to Ashok Bhattacharya, the group is starting the project on a 1.5 acre plot and was now looking at an additional two acres.

Videocon would manufacture computers, microwave and picture tube in the Siliguri facility.

"This will be one of the biggest investments in the region. The investment could go up to Rs 250 crore from Rs 200 crore if it adds further capacity," he said.

The urban development minister said the group was likely to manufacture one lakh pieces of consumer durables every year from the unit in first phase. "It is likely to expand in phases," he said.

Videocon group currently has three companies in its portfolio, Videocon Industries, Videocon International and Videocon Appliances.

The combined turnover of the group is more than Rs 11,000 crore. Videocon recently bought the colour television unit of Philips at Salt Lake in Kolkata.

Dhoot had earlier unveiled plans to invest Rs 300 crore in the state.

While the Rs 100 crore was proposed for the plant at Taratola in Kolkata for manufacturing desktop and laptop computers and special glass for television picture tubes, Rs 200 crore was proposed for the project at Salt Lake Electronics Complex.