Using a public-private partnership (PPP) model, the Palamu administration plans to revitalise Chainpur’s inactive Koel Aajeevika Apparel Park. Under this new plan, the facility—which hasn’t been in use for more than two years—is set to undergo a major renovation.
Following a recent tour of the facility, Deputy Development Commissioner (DDC) Md. Shabbir Ahmad declared that the administration has issued tenders until 7th May in an effort to find start-ups and established businesses with the necessary experience to oversee the park’s operations. The goal of the relocation is to revitalise the building, which was formerly vital to the Covid-19 epidemic.
An estimated Rs. 4-5 lakh (US $ 4737-US $ 5921) would be needed to restore the apparel park’s operation, which currently houses about 150 idle machines, including specialised button and hole-making equipment. This restoration effort will be supervised by the Jharkhand State Livelihood Society.
Under the direction of former DC Shantanu Agrahari, the factory was established in 2019 and became well-known during the pandemic by producing thousands of hand sanitisers and protective masks. Over 200 women were employed by the park at its height, making it a major factor in the region’s female employment participation rate.
Given Jharkhand’s low women’s labour force participation rate—just over 10 per cent, seven percentage points below the national average—the rejuvenation project is especially important.
In order to increase women’s work options in the area, DC Shashi Ranjan has stated a strong commitment to renovating the facility. With a goal of 90 per cent local worker engagement, the administration intends to establish a local-first employment strategy. The remaining 10 per cent will be set aside for specialised positions like master fabric cutters and sewing machine technicians.
However, the facility has a lot of problems, such as an unpaid electricity bill of Rs. 20 lakh (US $ 23,687), which caused the Jharkhand Bijli Vitran Nigam Limited to recently cut off power. DDC Shabbir has promised that the DC will provide direction on how to handle this matter.
