Leading firms evince interest in upcoming plastics park.

The Telangana government is willing to set aside a portion of the plastics and polymer park proposed on the outskirts of Hyderabad for units of MSMEs.

“We can think of [allocating] a portion of the park exclusively for MSMEs,” Industries Secretary Jayesh Ranjan told the Telangana and Andhra Plastics Manufacturers Association Polymer Conference 2017 here on Friday.

Responding to TAAPMA president Venu Gopal Jasti’s suggestion that the spirit of the project would be served better by having more SMEs in the park, the official said the State government was keen on growth of MSMEs. The first phase of the park, off Outer Ring Road, involved development of 170 acres. There was a possibility of adding 350 acres in the second phase, he said, adding that the demand of the industry had been encouraging.

“In the last few months, we have received interest from some of the leading names in this sector from our country,” he said. Without sharing the names, he said many companies from Gujarat and Maharashtra were looking to set up facilities in the South. For them Hyderabad was becoming an attractive destination and the government, to attract mega investments above Rs.300 crore, would offer customised package of incentives that would be better than those listed in the Industrial Policy.

Plastics and polymer is one of the 14 focus industrial areas identified for growth by the State government. Telangana was already home to more than 3,000 processing and manufacturing units providing employment to more than a million people. The flagship Mission Bhagiratha programme of the State government to provide piped water supply to all households as well as laying of optic fibres alongside were major growth opportunities for the plastics and polymer sector, Mr. Ranjan said.

Counting uninterrupted power and water supply among measures initiated by the State for industrial growth, he said the severe power crisis that had bogged down industries was “behind us ever since the State came into being. We buy at least 1,200 to 1,400 MW everyday to ensure that the industries don’t suffer power cut,” he said.

COO of Reliance Industries Puneet Madan highlighted the growth opportunities and challenges for the plastics and polymer sector.

THE HINDU