Entrepreneurs check into women-only industrial park

Ahmedabad: Gujarat’s first ever women-only industrial park in Sanand is fast catching the fancy of women entrepreneurs from the state.
Gujarat Industrial Development Corporation (GIDC) has received 800 applications from businesswomen for 200 plots in the park spread over 18.3 hectares near Bol village in Sanand Industrial Estate-2.
GIDC had invited applications from December 12, 2015, to January 17, 2016.“We have received 800 applications for 200 plots. We will start screening the applications for selecting the candidates in next 10 days,” said a senior GIDC official. Majority of applications are from Ahmedabad and some have come from south Gujarat and Saurashtra. “Awareness about Sanand as an investment destination has also attracted aspiring businesswomen’s attention. The maximum number of applications are for engineering and auto ancillary units followed by food processing, apparel (surgical and industrial apparel) and printing and stationery,” said Nita Shah, president, Vibrant Women Industrial Networking Association (VWINA).
The cumulative investment could be more than Rs 200 crore as there will be an average Rs 1 crore per unit. “I had been thinking about setting up an industrial unit for a long time. This initiative for women business owners has come at a right time,” said Ahmedabad-based Nima Oza, who has applied for 1,000 sq mt plot for a designer plastic kitchenware manufacturing unit.