Irani launches scheme for development of knitwear sector

Union Minister Smriti Irani Thursday launched a scheme for development of knitting and knitwear sector under PowerTex India, which will be in operation upto March 31, 2020.

"The Ministry has approved combined SFC (Standing Finance Component) of PowerTex India Scheme and Knitwear Scheme with an outlay of Rs 487.07 crore.

"Out of this Rs 439.35 crore is for PowerTex for three years from April 1, 2017 to March 31, 2020 and Rs 47.72 crore for knitwear for the remaining period of 2018-19 and for 2019-20," an official statement said.

The scheme envisages creation of new service centres on public private partnership (PPP) model by industry and association in the knitting and knitwear clusters.

It also entails modernisation and upgradation of existing power loom service centres and institution run by Textile Research Associations and Export Promotion Councils Association in knitting and knitwear clusters.

"It is important to highlight that 27 per cent of India's total cloth production comes from the knitwear industry and knitwear presently comprises 15 per cent of the total apparel exports. Therefore we are making an effort to strengthen this huge industry segment in a comprehensive manner through the scheme," Irani said at the launch of the scheme.

She assured to look into the demand for creation of a "Knitwear Mark" to give quality assurance to the customers.

Some of the major clusters in the knitted garment sector are Tirupur in Tamil Nadu, Ludhiana in Punjab, Kanpur in Uttar Pradesh and Kolkata in West Bengal.

Tirupur is the most important export cluster, followed by Ludhiana.

Irani also launched five short term courses at NIFT Panchkula in Haryana through video link.

The proposed one-year certificate programmes at the institute are Fashion Clothing & Technology; Design Development for Indian Ethnic Wear; Fashion & Media Communication; Textile for Interiors & Fashion; Fashion Knitwear Production and Technology.

The permanent campus building is under construction and is expected to be completed by June, 2020. Till the completion of the permanent campus, the institute will be run from a temporary campus in polytechnic-cum multi skill training centre in Panchkula's Sector 26.

The campus is being set up with the support of Department of Technical Education of Haryana.

Irani urged the NIFT administration to conceive special projects to study the impact of Surajkund craft mela and made up industry in Haryana.

She expressed hope that the students joining the new campus will not only be able to learn technology, but also understand the process of entrepreneurship.

The Textile Minister thanked the Haryana government for providing land and infrastructure support.