The Union Minister of Textiles, Shri Shankersinh Vaghela inaugurated a day-long Global Conference on ‘India Technical Textiles Industry’ here. On the occasion, Shri Vaghela said that the Government is proposing to set up four Centres of Excellence in order to provide infrastructure support at one place for thrust areas of technical textiles.
These centers would be equipped with internationally accredited testing labs, training facilities for trainers and technicians from the industry, IT-enabled information centre and other requisite support to the Technical Textile entrepreneurs.
He said that these four Centres of Excellence would be ready within six to seven months. The Minister added that these centers are; Bombay Textile Research Association (BTRA) in association with IIT, Mumbai for geotech; Silk & Art Silk Manufacturing Industry Research Association (SASMIRA) for agrotech; Northern India Textile Research Association (NITRA) for protech and Southern India Textile Research Association (SITRA) for meditech, both in association with IIT, Delhi.
He appealed to textile entrepreneurs to take advantage of these centers for the necessary support for setting up technical textile units.
Shri Vaghela said that, as the Prime Minister, Dr Manmohan Singh has announced in September 2007, the government will be announcing a Technology Mission on Technical Textile shortly.
He said, the Mission will provide support for the development of the technical textile industry in the country in terms of capacity building of manufacturers: standardization, Product development, common testing facilities; domestic & export market development; and skill development. He called upon the industry representatives to take advantage of Government initiatives and tap the opportunities in the Textile sector.
Speaking on the occasion, the Secretary, Ministry of Textiles, Shri A. K. Singh said that, Technical textiles are the emerging area of investment in India. And it has immense potential which needs to be tapped.
He said the Expert Committee on Technical Textiles, ECTI has assessed the market size of this industry about Rs. 20,000 crore in year of 2003-04 and projected to grow to about Rs. 30,000 crore in 2007-08, registering a growth of 12 per cent per annum.
The Day long conference discussed issues on India: The Next Destination for Techical Textiles; Development of Standards in Technical Textiles; Geotech, Buildtech, Mobiltech and Meditech; and Defense & Fire Retardant Technical Textiles.
