The Palamu administration aims to revive the inactive Koyel Aajivika Apparel Park in Chainpur through a public-private partnership (PPP) model, informs Md Shabbir Ahmad, Deputy Development Commisioner (DDC). Non-operational for over two years, the facility is slated for a significant turnaround under this new initiative.
According to Md Shabbir, Ahmad, Deputy Development Commissioner (DDC) says, the administration will soon issue tenders to attract both new life into the facility, which played a vital role during the Covid-19 pandemic.
The apparel park currently houses approximately 150 idle machines, including specialized button and hole-making equipment. An estimated investment of Rs 4-5 lakh (approximately $5,300 to $6,600) is needed to restore the facility to working order. The Jharkhand State Livelihood Society has been tasked with overseeing this rehabilitation process.
Established in 2019 under the leadership of Shantanu Agrahari, former District Collector, the park gained prominence during the pandemic by manufacturing thousands of protective masks and hand sanitizers. Initially priced at Rs 20 (approximately $0.27 USD) each, were later distributed free of charge following intervention by Chief Minister Hemant Soren. At its peak, the park employed over 200 women workers, becoming a significant contributor to female workforce participation in the region.
This revival initiative is particularly important given Jharkhand's low rate of women in the labor force, which is just over 10 percent, seven percentage points below the national average. District Collector Shashi Ranjan has expressed a strong commitment to revitalizing the facility to boost women's employment opportunities in the region.
The administration plans to implement a ‘local-first’ employment policy, aiming for 90 per cent local workforce participation, with the remaining 10 per cent reserved for specialized roles such as sewing machine technicians and master fabric cutters.
However, the facility faces significant hurdles, including an outstanding electricity bill of 20 lakh rupees (approximately $26,500 USD), which recently led to a power disconnection by the Jharkhand Bijli Vitran Nigam (Jharkhand Electricity Distribution Corporation).
