A consortium of European and Australian companies has shown interest in developing the special economic zone (SEZ) in Kanpur.
Consultants for the SEZ, Intercontinental Consultants and Technocrats (ICT), in its interim report has made three proposals to enhance the utility of the SEZ.
IIT-Kanpur has an airstrip that is used by its aeronautical engineering department for research. The institute has offered to share it with the SEZ and is ready to expand it to 3.5 km so that it could receive even large aircraft. ICT feels an airline like Sahara may have a strategic interest in creating the airlink that has already been approved by the licening authority.
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There is also the possibility of establishing a gas-based power plant in the SEZ. The Uttar Pradesh government and Uttar Pradesh State Industrial Development Corporation have acquired expressions of interest from National Thermal Power Corpoation and BSES for setting up an in-zone gas-based power plant.
The Hazira-Bijapur-Jagdishpur (HBJ) pipeline passes through Kanpur, and Gas Authority of India Ltd has shown interest in selling gas for power generation to the SEZ by laying a spur line. The SEZ will also enjoy abundant water supply from the Ganga Barrage.
ICT has secured an expression of interest for providing information processing and communications services, which will make the SEZ pre-wired from the planning stage itself and enable companies to avail of digital services on a plug-and-play basis.
According to the report, digital utility services, will be made available through a single telephone connection.
The consortium, whose name has not been disclosed, has agreed to be the service provider for the SEZ. The report says the proposed location of the SEZ has a unique advantage in terms of the availability of products, national-level institutes located in the vicinity, and an existing transportation hub.
The leather industry, says the report, will be able to develop around 500-700 acres of land in the SEZ Spices and mouth freshners can also create a lot of business opportunities in the SEZ. Garment manufacturing units can generate exports through proper guidance and channelisation of resources.
Plastics processing is another sector that provides good opportunity for exports. The food processing industry has also remained largely untapped.
The report also points out that interaction between industry and the reputed educational institutes in the city will benefit the SEZ.
The developer for the SEZ will be signed up as soon as the consultants submit the final report.