Karnataka And Gujarat Plan To Boost Textile Machinery Base

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Karnataka And Gujarat Plan To Boost Textile Machinery Base

The domestic textile engineering sector recently has succeeded in drawing some degree of attention. Even as the Union Textile Ministry and Ministry of Heavy Industries both have recently recognised the significance of building the base of the industry and looking to address some of the critical issues, progressive states like Karnataka and Gujarat have chalk out comprehensive plans to attract investments.

Karnataka which is primarily known for its ITeS industry and also possess a reasonable ecosystem for machine tools and precession engineering as also aerospace engineering and high-end manufacturing, is looking to attract investments in the textile engineering sector where it already has companies like Kirloskar Toyoda Textile Machinery and others in operation for years now.

The state government which is currently implementing its New Textile Policy (2013-18), and is in the process of attracting investment through a series of measures and incentives, has now consciously trying to build up a base for textile engineering industry as well.

The Karnataka government has urged the textile machinery sector to be part of its upcoming Integrated Machine Tool Park. The 500-acre park which has recently got approval from the Karnataka Cabinet is coming up in joint venture with Centre in Tumkur district. Backed by common facilities and other infrastructure facility, the park will be a cluster of machine tool builders, makers of accessories, components and foundry, among others, and will also help small and medium scale enterprises to expand their manufacturing capacities.

"We invite the textile machinery industry to this park which will provide the much-needed ecosystem to the industry which is desperately looking for conducive atmosphere.

Within the state itself, we have enough demand for machinery as we have reasonable base for textile industry particularly garments," said Rudrappa M Lamani, Minister for Textile and Endowment, Government of Karnataka on the sidelines of recently held 10th edition of textile machinery exhibition, ITME in Mumbai.

Karnataka has also reserved 2,500 acres of developed area under Karnataka Industrial Areas Development Board (KIADB) exclusively for the development of textiles in dedicated parks. The state government also plans to set up mega silk parks in order to provide much needed boost to its silk base.

"Our approach is holistic. While we are trying to promote investments in the textile machinery sector, we are also looking to bolster our textile industry in order to generate desired demand within the industry. Our ongoing textile policy has received quite an encouraging response," states R. Girish, Commissioner for Textile Development, Government of Karnataka.

Meanwhile, Government of Gujarat has also initiated measures to promote textile engineering sector in the state which contributes almost 80% and 60% to the existing weaving and processing machinery production in the country. The state has started talks with various national and regional associations and trade bodies towards this end and in the process of formulating a roadmap. In fact, in Vibrant Gujarat 2017, being held during January 10-13, 2017, textiles is one of the focus areas.

"We are trying to address the issues that are coming in the way of textile machinery sector. We are in the process of wooing new generation entrepreneurs to infuse the much-required vibrancy in the industry. We already have a base which need to be revitalised," says Chandan Chatterjee, director, Center for Entrepreneurs Development, industries commissionerate, Govt of Gujarat and advisor, project & data bank, iNDEXTb of Govt of Gujarat whose Investor Facilitation Portal (IFP), a single window facilitation mechanism for investors, has invoke phenomenal response. In the last six months, over 20,000 units (including small and medium) have expressed desire to invest in the state across various sectors.