Delayed by environmental clearances and other necessary formalities, the ambitious PM MITRA (Prime Minister Mega Integrated Textile Region and Apparel) Textile Park project has finally gathered momentum.
Various infrastructure works, including the construction of a barrage across the Bhima river at Naduvinahalli village to ensure drinking water supply to the project, as well as road and drainage works outside the park, are nearing completion.
The tender for laying a 17-km pipeline from the harrage to the Textile Park is currently under scrutiny. Meanwhile, the Karnataka Industrial Areas Development Board (KIADB) is preparing the Detailed Project Report (DPR) for infrastructure works within the park. The report is expected to be submitted to the Union government shortly for approval.
The decision to establish a textile park in Kalaburagi was taken considering the quantity of cotton grown in Yadgir, Vijayapura, Raichur, Bidar and other parts of Kalyana Karnataka. The state government has earmarked 1,000 acres of land belonging to KPCL near Honnakiranagi and Firozabad in Kalaburagi taluk for this purpose. Industrialists have been insisting on accelerating the process, which is estimated to create over one lakh direct and indirect jobs with an investment of Rs 10,000 crore. The project aims to ensure stability in the lives of migrant labourers in Kalyana Karnataka.
Initially, the government decided to develop the park under the Public-Private Partnership (PPP) model by inviting global tenders. However, the plan was later revised, and responsibility for developing the park was entrusted to KIADR.
The government has sanctioned Rs 320 crore for various works inside the park in the first phase, in addition to Rs 390.2 crore for works outside. Urban Water Supply Department is also preparing a DPR to supply 12.9 MLD of water from Nandikur STP Works will also be undertaken for the construction of a 180 MW power supply line, and a tender has been called for this purpose.
Memoranda of Understanding (MoUs) were signed with nine private companies in the cotton processing and textile business, with an expected investment of Rs 1,900 crore when the project was formally laid ground in March, 2023
Handlooms and Textiles Department Deputy Director Raghavendra Hosamani said: “The land identified for the Textile Project comes under greenfield. Developing infrastructure in this area is challenging because everything must be taken up from scratch, unlike in brownfield land where all facilities are already available. The project’s start was delayed due to environmental clearance, which took more than nine months. Moreover, agricultural land had to be converted lor industrial use. Senior officials have held meetings and directed KIADB to prepare the DPR within two weeks to undertake development works inside the park after obtaining central government approval,” he added
Earlier, farmers used to transport their cotton produce to Gujarat because there were no ginning mills in the region. Now, starting these mills in Yadgir, Raichur and other parts of the region will provide a boost to cotton production.
Industrialists demanded that work on the Textile Park must be expedited as all six other such projects announced by the central government in 2023 have made significant progress. They also claimed that the industrial map of the region will change if the mega textile park is fully implemented, as it will boost employment generation and curb large-scale migration.
