India's Punjab state scraps textile park, will miss opportunity

The decision was taken by Punjab chief minister Bhagwant Mann after a meeting with an NGO which was protesting against the park on environmental issue due to proximity to Mattewara forest and Sutlej river.

The proposal to set up the textile park was with an objective to benefit the textile industry in Ludhiana and nearby area.

Under PM MITRA, the Central government plans to give permission to set up seven textile parks, which will be developed by a special purpose vehicle owned by state governments and the Central government in PPP mode. Union cabinet has approved ₹4,445 crore for the scheme. Many states including Punjab had proposed to set up a park under the scheme.

“Punjab government should consider any other place for the park as it would boost textile industry in the state. The government should provide land in Bathinda region where barren land is abundant,” Northern India Textile Mills’ Association (NITMA) president Sanjay Garg told Fibre2Fashion. He said that the government should take a balanced view between industrial development and environment conservation.

Industry experts feel that Punjab government will miss an opportunity to boost the state’s textile industry by building a mega park. Industrialists who were planning to set up their units in the proposed textile park will now have to scout for land for standalone units. They have to develop all the required facilities on their own for such units.

Post scrapping of the proposal for textile park near Ludhiana, stakeholders of Punjab textile industry are now expected to request the state government to earmark land at any other place in the state.

ALCHEMPro News Desk (KUL)