UP to Set Up Textile Parks Named After Sant Kabir

Lucknow, Sep 16 (PTI) Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on Tuesday announced that textile and apparel parks will be established in Uttar Pradesh in the name of Sant Kabir, with an aim to boost skill development and employment generation.

In a high-level review meeting, the chief minister said Uttar Pradesh, with its rich heritage of handloom and textile products, has the potential to secure a strong position in the global textile market, projected to reach USD 2.3 trillion by 2030.

"This scheme, inspired by Sant Kabir's ideals of labour, simplicity and self-reliance, will strike a balance between tradition and modernity while creating new opportunities for investment, production and employment," an official statement quoted Adityanath as saying.

According to official data, Uttar Pradesh is among India's top textile and apparel exporters. In 2023-24, the state exported goods worth USD 3.5 billion, 9.6 per cent of the country's total textile exports. The sector contributes 1.5 per cent to the state's GDP and employs nearly 22 lakh people directly, with traditional clusters in Varanasi, Mau, Bhadohi, Mirzapur, Sitapur, Barabanki, Gorakhpur and Meerut playing a key role, it added.

So far, 659 proposals have been received on the Investment Sarathi portal, requiring 1,642 acres of land. These proposals amount to Rs 15,431 crore in investment and are expected to generate around 1,01,768 jobs, according to the statement.

Each park will cover a minimum of 50 acres and include a common effluent treatment plant, along with facilities for ancillary industries, such as buttons, zippers, packaging and warehousing, it stated.

The scheme will be implemented through the PPP model, or a designated nodal agency, with the government ensuring priority infrastructure, such as roads, electricity and water supply, it added.

The chief minister directed officials to expedite land identification and development work to enable quick implementation.

Taking another major decision, he instructed officials to engage directly with powerloom weavers to reduce their production costs, boost incomes and strengthen the traditional textile industry.

He emphasised that the government is already providing subsidised electricity to weavers and should also explore solar energy integration.

"Weavers are the symbol of hard work and tradition. Their handmade fabric is recognised across the world. It is our duty to support them," he said.

The chief minister expressed confidence that the Sant Kabir Textile and Apparel Park Scheme would not only bring large-scale investments and jobs, but also establish Uttar Pradesh as a global hub in the textile and apparel sector.