From correspondents in Tripura, India, 08:31 PM IST

Mining giant Vedanta group will set up a health and medical equipment manufacturing unit in Tripura, state Industry and Commerce Minister Jitendra Chowdhury said here Monday.

'The works for commissioning the Rs.5-billion project would start November 7 at the industrial city of Bodhjungnagar', 25 km north of Tripura capital Agartala, Chowdhury said.

The Tripura government has allotted five acres to the London-headquartered Vedanta group for the unit.

'Vedanta groups' sister organisation Vedanta Medicare Pvt Ltd (VMPL) has earlier proposed to the Tripura government to set up this industry and the latter approved the offer considering the importance of the proposed unit,' Chowdhury told reporters.

The North Eastern Council (NEC), a central government agency for the economic and social development of the region, has also extended financial assistance to the proposed project, first-of-its-kind in the northeast.

(Staff Writer, © IANS)