Union Minister of Textiles, Commerce and Industry Piyush Goyal has said that the states that will ensure support measures such as affordable power, land and effective labour laws will get preference in the selection for the proposed PM Mega Integrated Textile Region and Apparel (MITRA) parks scheme.
He said this during the first meeting of the apex monitoring authority of National Industrial Corridor Development and Implementation Trust (NICDIT), adding that the industry needs power at affordable prices and wants to see consistency in the rates.
“The setting up an industrial park with modern plug-and-play infrastructure, single-window system, effluent treatment facility and good labour laws is great but we want private sector to take that land,” he said and further added that power cost should be affordable as investors look at it very seriously.
He added “High cost will act as a deterrent to industry… If we find that the existing parks are not being put to use then I promise you that no new parks will come in your area. At least Government will not support you.”
The Minister said, “It is a very clear-cut wake up call for all the states that industry needs power at affordable prices.”
He further added that states need to attract investors in the project developed under national industrial corridors. For all the projects that have already come up or that are coming up, we must look at attracting investors quickly.
Under PM MITRA scheme, the Government has approved the setting up of seven mega parks with a total outlay of Rs. 4,445 crore for five years to strengthen India’s position on the global textiles map.
In this meeting, Industry Minister of Bihar, Syed Shahnawaz Hussain urged to sanction a PM MITRA park to Bihar.
Presiding the meeting, Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman said that if there is potential for textile industries in Bihar, then we must consider it.”
In a separate development, Bharatiya Kisan Union (Charuni) opposed the Punjab Government’s proposed textile park, to be set up on around 1,000 acres near Mattewara forest and Sutlej.
Members of the BKU (Charuni), Centre of Indian Trade Unions, MGNREGA Adhikar Andolan, Bhatha Mazdoor Union, Nambardar Union Punjab and MGNREGA Mazdoor Union gathered near the bank of the Sutlej to mark their protest saying that no such textile park should be set up in villages near the river and forest
Source : https://in.apparelresources.com/