AP Aims To Emerge As Major Textile Hub: Giriraj Singh
Giriraj Singh stresses cotton productivity and advanced textile growth in Andhra Pradesh
Vijayawada: Union Textiles Minister Giriraj Singh on Friday said the Centre would extend full support to develop Andhra Pradesh into a major textile manufacturing hub, while emphasising the need to improve cotton productivity and promote advanced textile manufacturing in the state.
The Union minister arrived here on Friday on a two-day stay in Andhra Pradesh and visited the Spintex India unit at Mallavalli Industrial Park in Bapulapadu mandal of Krishna district.
State textiles minister S. Savitha and Spintex India managing director Vallabhaneni Sudhakar Chowdary received the Union minister at the industrial unit.
Giriraj Singh held discussions with industrialists on establishing silk and textile-related industries in AP. Addressing the media, Singh said he would hold discussions with Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu on ways to develop AP into a prominent textile manufacturing state.
Andhra Pradesh, he noted, has the potential to perform strongly in various industrial sectors and stressed the need to improve cotton productivity.
“Globally, cotton yield averages nearly 2,000 kg per hectare, while India produces only around 450 kg per hectare. We need focused policies on seeds and modern cultivation practices to substantially improve cotton production,” he said.
The Union minister said AP was already recognised for its handloom sector and that the Centre recently approved one textile cluster for the state, while another cluster proposal was under consideration.
Coordinated efforts by the Centre and the state government were necessary to strengthen the handloom sector further.
Stating that the Centre aimed to make Andhra Pradesh a major destination for both handlooms and modern textiles, Giriraj Singh said technical textiles were witnessing rapid global expansion. He cited emerging opportunities in sectors such as glass fibre, carbon fibre and graphene.
Singh would inaugurate a glass fibre unit in Visakhapatnam on Saturday.
Referring to the Centre’s Rs 10,860-crore production-linked incentive (PLI) scheme for the textile sector, the minister said Andhra Pradesh should secure a substantial share of the incentives to accelerate industrial growth.
The Union minister planted saplings at the Spintex premises, interacted with Punganur cattle and Ongole bulls, and inspected the textile manufacturing unit and its production processes.
Textiles commissioner Rekha Rani, Krishna district collector Balaji, central silk board CEO Shivakumar and representatives of various textile and industrial departments participated in the programme.
