In a move that will create jobs, boost the local economy and give a much-needed fillip to the manufacturing sector, the Karnataka government has proposed a cluster for toy manufacturing, and is inviting Indian as well as global players to avail the sops and incentives for setting their base.
The step is in line with the Prime Minister’s vision of boosting toy manufacturing in India, which will also act as a deterrent to Chinese aggression in the toy business, be it about the range of products or pricing. Koppal will be the first-of-its-kind toy manufacturing cluster and the state is making sure that all toy manufacturing requirements are available in this cluster, said Industries Minister Jagadish Shettar.
Karnataka is the thirdlargest market for toys in India with a market share of $159 million, which is 9.1% of the national market. “Toy manufacturing in the state is getting a renewed push after Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s clarion call that the Indian toy market has enormous potential and can bring a transformative change in the industry by promoting ‘vocal for local’ under the Aatmanirbhar Bharat campaign,’’ said Shettar.
Gaurav Gupta, IAS and Principal Secretary, Commerce & Industries Department, Government of Karnataka, said: “Karnataka is poised to emerge as a leading toy-making cluster in the country due to the robust ecosystem the state has created to support toy making industries. The state has supported and nurtured the setting up of tool manufacturing and precision engineering at TMTP, polymers manufacturing clusters in Bengaluru, Dharwad, Tumkuru and Mysuru, robust design capacity and testing certification agencies in Bengaluru, Dharwad and Koppal and GTTC.
With such a dedicated push by the government towards toy manufacturing, the state’s toy industry has grown at a CAGR of 18% (2010-17) and is expected to reach USD 310 million by 2023.”
Karnataka has a legacy of toy making. “The state is focusing on building a strong toy manufacturing industry by providing all the required ingredients and incentives. We have also identified Koppal as the first toy manufacturing cluster in India and the state is making sure that we build a world-class cluster for all investors,” Gupta said.
As a part of the state government’s endeavour to establish Karnataka as a toy manufacturing hub of India and give a fillip to the toy sector, the Product Specific Industrial Cluster Development (PSICD) Programme has been developed by the government. This objective of the cluster is to increase the share of manufacturing in state GDP, develop state of the art infrastructure meeting industry needs, improve Need-Based Skill Development assistance and bring a balanced socioeconomic development and attract $700 Million investment for this cluster.
“Karnataka offers worldclass machine tools infrastructure and favourable labour laws for toy manufacturers in the state. We are also working towards building a sustainable toy manufacturing ecosystem by introducing massive fiscal and non-fiscal subsidies to facilitate investments into the state,” Gunjan Krishna, IAS, Commissioner for Industrial Development, Government of Karnataka said.
The Koppal toy cluster will be a one-stop destination facilitating globally competitive and reliable manufacturing solutions with co-located facilities. It’s an internationally competitive self-sustained ecosystem catering to all infrastructure requirements of the toy industry. With access to highway ports, airports and major cities, the cluster will provide an efficient network of connectivity. The Koppal toy cluster is on National Highway 63 and well connected to other modes of transportation. It is located close to Hubballi, a major trading hub in Karnataka.