Emami Group has decided to set up a 1.5-million-tonne-per-annum (MTPA) cement plant in W Bengal reposing its faith in the state, after it received jolts from the government for the AMRI fire.
The AMRI fire, which broke out in December 2011, killed 94 people and the government cracked down on the owners of Emami and Srachi Group, both promoters of AMRI. It was viewed that both RS Goenka and SK Todi were paying the price of being close to the former Left Front government. It was also rumoured that Emami, a home-grown group, may shift its headquarters from Kolkata and divert its investments to other states.
Emami spokesperson Mahasweta Sen said the company has made the biggest investments in West Bengal and the state has been its base of activity, although the company, with 25 brands, has a pan-India presence. ?West Bengal is home to Emami and the organisation has always reposed its faith in the state,? Sen said, adding that the company would continue to invest in the state.
She said Emami plans to invest R400 crore for its cement plant in West Bengal although the project was at the drawing board stage. The company?s foray into the cement sector will happen in a big way since it will set up two cement making units with a total capacity of 5.5 MTPA.
The company is setting up a 4-MTPA cement plant and a 100-MW captive power plant in Chhattisgarh for an investment of R1,600 crore.
?We require the government?s support in getting the required 100-120 acres of land, water and power for our cement plant in West Bengal,? Sen said.
State commerce, industry and IT minister Partha Chatterjee said the government will extend all support to Emami within the limit of its policy framework. ?Land should not be a problem because we have already formed a land bank with 16,000 acres,? Chatterjee said. Emami is yet to identify land in West Bengal, while it is in the process of acquiring its required 350-400 acres in Chhattisgarh.