HYDERABAD: India’s first 100 per cent women-owned industrial park began operations in Hyderabad. Promoted by the FICCI Ladies Organisation (FLO) in partnership with the State government, the park has 25 units, representing 16 diverse green category industries, all owned and operated by women.
The FLO industrial park, the first-of-its-kind park in the country, was established over 50 acres in Sultanpur near Patancheru with an investment of Rs 250 crore. The park has already garnered tremendous interest from women entrepreneurs to run and operate their businesses. Inaugurating the park on Tuesday, IT & Industries Minister KT Rama Rao urged the entrepreneurs to think big and start thinking about emerging technologies. He also asked them to focus on aerospace, defence, food processing and to forge global partnership.
He promised another 100 acres for expansion of FLO women industrial park, subject to the park’s focus on novel products. He also assured to offer an additional 10 per cent subsidy for women entrepreneurs.The Minister also said that in the last seven and a half years, the State has attracted $32 billion investments, generating employment potential of 1.6 million.
From the electronic sector to packaging, medical devices, wellness, engineering, and food processing, the FLO industrial park demonstrates the power of women in the industry. The FLO and its members infused significant investment to build this park, wherein the government provided the roads, electricity, water, sewerage and sub-station.
The park has also created amenities to offer a homely environment for women by keeping in mind the necessities of working women entrepreneurs, including designing creches and playschools. The FLO also plans to set up similar multi-industry women industrial parks in various States and a centre of excellence for skill development in Phase II.
Uma Chigurupati, chairperson of FICCI FLO Hyderabad Chapter, said: “The dream-to-reality of this project is the result of the support from the government of Telangana. We are happy to announce the commencement of 25 green projects totally owned by women, with many more in the pipeline. We expect this industrial park to generate over 1,600 jobs in the next two years of operation.”