Here’s another major challenge for Orient Craft (OC), once a leading apparel exporter in India!
The Jharkhand Government has decided to take the land back from OC on priority basis.
The Parliamentary Affairs Minister, Jharkhand, Alamgir Alam informed that a notice has been sent to OC in this regard.
Though Apparel Resources couldn’t confirm officially, but according to credible sources 25 acres land were allotted to the company by the State Government.
It is worth noting that OC once had two factories in Ranchi and even had plans to start third one. There were demonstrations regarding the pending dues of workers and some contractors. It was being said that company could not continue in Ranchi as the new State Government didn’t issue subsidy to the company.
Once both the units used to give employment to 3,500 workers. Reportedly, around Rs. 150 crore had been invested in this project, with the unit producing for global brands like M&S and GAP.
Land at throwaway price is one of the biggest attractions for the apparel giant to invest in the new state, but now stakeholders are insisting that long-term lease or plug and play model is a good option rather than luring the companies by giving them land.
Pradeep Yadav, MLA, Poraiyahat (Jharkhand) and ex Cabinet Minister of the state raised this issue strongly and said that land should be taken back from the companies who have not invested or are not continuing the production in the state.