The Telangana State Government has urged the textile ministry to issue funds for the development of textile industry in the state.
The State Government has sought fund in the upcoming central budget for Kakatiya Mega Textile Park (KMTP) and sanction of mega powerloom cluster in the state.
The KMTP is supposed to take off in 2020-21, and has a total estimated cost of Rs. 1,552 crore.
The State Government is also looking at sanctioning of Indian Institute of Handloom Technology (I.I.H.T) in Telangana.
KT Rama Rao, IT and Municipal Administration Minister of the state wrote a letter to Union Minister for Textiles Smriti Irani, which reads, “With the strong presence of both handloom and power loom sectors and due to the economic significance, there was a need to strengthen the development of the above sectors in the State by sanctioning the proposals of IIHT.”
Sufficient land with a building was available at the Handloom Park in Pochampally, Yadadri-Bhonagir, for the establishment of IIHT.
It is worth mentioning here that there are more than 40,000 handloom workers in the state, with about 49,000 power looms too.
IIHT would attract the youth to the handloom sector and generate employment for them. At the same time, it will contribute to the strengthening of the handloom industry with the latest technological and design interventions.
The Minister also sought up-gradation of power looms under In-SITU scheme and sanction of Block-Level Handloom Clusters under the National Handloom Development Programme (NHDP).
“I am seriously worried about the sustenance of the industry and the resulting impact on the livelihoods of millions of workers. It was obvious that the large global consumers would have to de-risk their supply chains and reduce dependence on major suppliers such as China. This offers a huge opportunity for India to attract further investments to meet the resurgence in the consumption a few months down the line,” the Minister said.
To support the industry, he suggested short-term policy support, reassurance to workers on the resumption of operations, incentives to exporters, banking support, asset classification, speedy GST refunds, and promotion of manmade fibres, cotton procurement support and attraction of investments by the industry.
