To further boost the wood industry in the State, Punjab Government would set up dedicated Plywood Park between Bassi Kasson and Bassi Maroof villages in Hoshiarpur district. The Park would bring about `100 crores of investment which would not only provide employment to the local youth but will also increase their productivity as well, said the state Industries Minister Sunder Sham Arora on Thursday.

Arora said that this project would be Special Purpose Vehicle (SPV) driven and 30 members of the All India Plywood Manufacturers’ Association, who have registered a Company in the name of Hoshiarpur Wood Park Private Limited, Hoshiarpur, under Companies Act, 2013, on October 18, 2018, for implementation of the project.

The SPV has purchased 58.85 acres of land between Bassi Kasson and Bassi Maroof villages on its own for the proposed Plywood Park which will house wood-based industry and is likely to attract investment of about Rs 100 crores, he added.

“The proposed Park will have units comprising ply board factories, saw mills, chippers etc.

The proposed Park would not only help in future expansion of the industry but also help farmers in getting better realization of their produce as the State timber will be utilized within the State,” he said, adding that the State Government has identified this project of Plywood Park as a project of key concern and is according highest priority to it.

The Department of Industries and Commerce is facilitating the SPV in getting all regulatory clearances and removing hurdles in the way of their proposed project.

On receipt of three acres of land from the SPV, the Punjab Mandi Board will establish a ‘Lakkar Mandi’ in the proposed Plywood Park, the spokesperson said.

It is also envisaged to establish a Common Facility Centre (CFC) with the Central Government assistance up to Rs 20 crore which will provide common facilities to all plywood units located in the proposed Plywood Park.