After receiving an ‘in principle’ approval in 2015, the much-awaited Brownfield electronic cluster common facility centre project being established by the MCCIA (Mahratta Chamber of Commerce, Industries and Agriculture) is set to take off within the next three months.
Wg Cdr (retd) Shalak Gandhi, managing director (MD) designate of MCCIA Electronic Cluster Foundation (MECF), told Hindustan Times on Friday that work on the Rs 67 crores project has commenced and actual infrastructure work at Bhosari will begin in the coming quarter.
Of the three Brownfield electronic cluster projects approved by the central government, MECF in Pune is the largest with Rs 50 crores central aid. The other two Brownfield clusters are at Mysore (Rs 21 crores) and Aurangabad (Rs 20.5 crores) ‘grant in aid’ by the Centre.
The project is part of the central government’s electronic manufacturing clusters scheme of 2012 to enable India become a global player in electronics and also to support creation of world-class infrastructure in electronics system and design manufacturing.
According to informed estimates, by 2020, the electronic import bill is expected to cross the oil imports and demand for electronic hardware is projected to be USD 400 billion by 2020 with 75% of it expected to be met by imports.
The central government’s National Policy on Electronics (NPE) aims to bridge this demand supply gap and a part of the policy is to provide basic infrastructure to electronics manufacturing companies and set up testing and R&D facilities of international standards.
So far, 69 electronic cluster zones have been notified in the country of which nine cluster zones are in Maharashtra. Pune was declared a Brownfield electronic cluster in December 2013.
Eager to pursue this project, the MCCIA set up MECF as a chief promoter. Ajay Bhagwat of Renu Electronics was designated as chairman, and Wg Cdr (retd) Gandhi as MD designate.
MCCIA president Pramod Chaudhary said, “This cluster is very important to Pune. Currently there are small companies that operate from Bhosari and Satara road. With this cluster, electronic companies can utilise the services that this cluster will offer. It will boost domestic production, reduce imports and become an export hub. MCCIA has offered 27,000 sq ft of its land at Bhosari towards this initiative.”
Gandhi said that the cluster aims to improve the infrastructure in the region, provide a common facility centre (CFC) and give a boost to the electronic ecosystem of this region.
