First readymade apparel unit opens in Tripura

The first Apparel and Garment Making Centre (AGMC) in Tripura was inaugurated on Friday.

Tripura Chief Minister Manik Sarkar and Union Textiles Minister Santosh Kumar Gangwar inaugurated the unit at western Tripura's Bodhjungnagar industrial estate, 20 km northeast of here.

This is the second of its type in the northeastern region which has been setup to encourage entrepreneurship and resolving unemployment especially among the youths and women.

The union government's textile ministry has been providing Rs.18 crore for setting up of a ready-made garment manufacturing unit or AGMC in each of the eight Northeastern states. It would also provide financial assistance to run the unit after its commissioning.

The first AGMC was inaugurated by Gangwar in Nagaland on Wednesday.

According to the Union minister Gangwar, each AGMC would provide employment to 1,200 to 1,500 people in the respective states and has been setup to stop people from northeast India to go to other parts of the country seeking jobs.

The readymade apparel and various other clothing have huge market in northeast India, other parts of the country, neighbouring Myanmar and Bangladesh.

He expressed that there is huge scope of development in Tripura and assured all types of support from his department.

Meantime, Union Textiles Secretary Rashmi Verma said that the government of India looking at the immense employment potential of textile, sericulture, apparel, handloom and handcraft sector in the Northeastern state had approved special scheme with a total outlay of Rs 1038 crores.

The objective of the scheme is to modernise the industries related to the sectors by providing region specific flexibility for their design and implementation.

Tripura Industries and Finance Minister Tapan Chakraborty, assembly Deputy Speaker Pabitra Kar, Chief Secretary Y P Singh and Industries and Commerce Secretary M Nagaraju were also present at the inaugural ceremony.

Chief Secretary Singh expressed that this is a very good initiative as textile sector is employment, industrial good and export oriented. It will help to contribute to the entire economy of the state. This has happened for the first time and some 1600 women will get employment and it will be successful as raw materials will be available along will sell in the same place.

He added that if it is successful then it will be replicated in every district of the state.