To reduce the dependency on imports governments’ clustered approach is taking a pace as the states are taking initiatives for it and announcing furniture clusters to boost manufacturing at local level. The long awaited approach after the government announcements for developing at least four furniture clusters in various regions near ports, now Government of Madhya Pradesh has approved 450 Acre land for international mega furniture cluster in Indore at Betmakhurd.
In a presentation during announcement for land in Indore it was said that Indore furniture market is about Rs 1000 crore which after operation of this mega cluster will be five times higher and over 12 thousand employment will be generated in accordance with the manufacturing and trading activity in the region. It is to be noted that over 80 furniture manufacturers are interested to invest over Rs 850 crore in this new mega furniture cluster and for that manufacturers’ association has submitted a list of players to state authority with proposal.
The central government is also looking for a scheme in place of MEIS that can boost furniture manufacturing similar to MLI (Manufacturing Linked Incentive) scheme and for that the officials are in communication with ministries and state government. Also there are proposal to come up with at least four mega furniture clusters near ports and the places like near Kandla Port in Gujarat and Udupi in Karnataka and –near Hyderabad in Nalgonda in Telangana states.
At present China is the largest furniture manufacturer in the world and India’s major imports of furniture is taken place from China. After COVID, India has an opportunity to boost its local furniture manufacturing.