Videocon group to partner Thai firm for biotech SEZ in West Bengal

26 June 2007

Mumbai: Videocon group along with a Thai partner will set up a special economic zone at Siliguri in West Bengal , marking the consumer electronics major''s entry into the biotech space

Chief minister Buddhadeb Bhattacharya will lay the foundation stone for the SEZ on June 28, reports quoted Videocon group chairman Venugopal Dhoot as saying.

He said the group will soon sign a joint venture agreement with a Thailand-based firm for setting up the Siliguri biotech SEZ. "Thailand is very strong in biotech and we expect to have synergy through the partnership," Dhoot said. He, however, did not identify the partner.

The biotech park will be among five SEZs that Videocon has proposed to set up in West Bengal. The SEZ is expected to be around 60-acre in size and will also include food processing and floriculture.

Videocon group had applied for setting up multi-product SEZ at Kalyanbill and Motiagacha sites in North 24 Parganas measuring up to 1,080 acre. It has also planned a 1,000 acre multi-product zone between Kharagpur and Kolkata.

Besides, the group proposed to set up a 12-acre electronics hardware, software and ITeS SEZ at Siliguri, Ranidanga and Kalaram Mouza, and another 144 acre product specific SEZ at Suryapur Mouza in North 24 Parganas.