Sports complex to be made cricket bat manufacturing centre

Jammu and Kashmir government on Wednesday said the Bijbehara Sports Complex, which was vacated by security forces after over two decades last year, would be turned into an ultra-modern bat manufacturing centre.

Jammu and Kashmir government on Wednesday said the Bijbehara Sports Complex, which was vacated by security forces after over two decades last year, would be turned into an ultra-modern bat manufacturing centre.

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Minister of State for Industries and Commerce Sajjad Ahmad Kichloo announced the creation of a state-of-the-art Small Scale Industries Development Corporation Limited (SICOP) Sports Complex at Bijbehara, 45 kms from here, which will promote the lucrative cricket bat industry of South Kashmir, an official spokesman said.

The Bijbehara Sports Complex was occupied by security forces in early 1990s, displacing hundreds of small scale unit holders, including 43 cricket bat manufacturing units. The CRPF vacated the complex in October last year and handed it over to the SICOP.

The spokesman said the minister visited the sports complex today and interacted with the cricket bat manufacturers.

Kichloo directed Managing Director of the SICOP to prepare a detailed project report (DPR) for modernisation of the complex and allotment of land to the cleft manufacturers.

"The cricket bat industry has great potential for upgradation. Once the DPR is prepared, new techniques for bat manufacturing will be adopted that will enable us to compete with other reputed bat manufacturing sectors in the country like Jalandhar and Meerut," the minister said.

Kichloo said the Product-cum-Process Development Centre, Meerut, which has helped the state in the past in creation of cleft seasoning plant at Sethar near Bijbehara, shall again be requested for modernisation of the cleft manufacturing units of the Valley.