Is A'bad set to miss the textile bus as Surat & Valsad whizz past?
29 May '06
2 min read
Signs are ominous as Industrial Extension Bureau (iNDEXb) study reports of Surat and Valsad emerging as the new textile hubs in Gujarat, with Ahmedabad left in the lurch.
Gujarat has developed itself as the country's major textile hub for many years now, with significant number of projects of all sizes sprouting in every nook and corner of the state.
Textile projects worth Rs2,009 crore and Rs1,806 crore are currently in progress at Surat and Valsad, since January 15, 2006, respectively.
While Surat and Valsad boast 173 and 54 units employing almost 8,362 and 17,677, 32 units in Ahmedabad worth Rs570 crore of investment provides jobs for just 5,862 people.
Despite the government's efforts to revive textile industry in the city once known as the 'Manchester of India', little progress is evident in Ahmedabad.
Even, Saurashtra region is attracting more investments in textile sector than Ahmedabad, with four new projects underway, envisaging investments worth Rs6,108 crore and promising 9,894 jobs.
Moreover, two apparel Special Economic Zones (SEZ) are being developed in Surat and Ahmedabad with seven proposals pending under the Government of India's scheme to setup integrated textile parks.
Among these, while four will be developed in Surat, three others will be set up in Veraval, Sanand and Anand, respectively.
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