As the Punjab Government and Centre are yet to agree on making land available for the Mega Integrated Textile Region and Apparel (PM MITRA) scheme, Punjab is unlikely to get a mega textile park under this central scheme.
Under this scheme, a key criterion was that the state has to ensure 1,000 acres of land for the textile park but Punjab has remained unsuccessful on this.
Just a few days before, Union Textiles Minister Piyush Goyal had said that the Centre may announce the names of seven parks after the winter session of parliament.
To bring scale and efficiency in textile industry, Union Ministry of Textiles has launched the above scheme and 7 mega integrated textile parks will be initiated with the budget of Rs. 4,445 crore.
It was first announced in Union Budget for 2021-22 that Andhra Pradesh, Assam, Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh, Odisha, Rajasthan, Tamil Nadu and Telangana have shown interest in this scheme.
Earlier the Punjab government had planned the park near Mattewara forest in Ludhiana, but scrapped it later. As per media reports, the state is yet to propose an alternative area.
On the other hand, Punjab wants assurance that it would get the park before it starts acquiring 1,000 acres. Media reports quoted an official with Punjab’s Department of Industries & Commerce saying that, “We have communicated our willingness to offer 1,000 acres of land for the textile park, but will they (Central Government) give us the textile park? We have given 2-3 options.”
He further added, “What if we acquire 1,000 acres for a textile park and we are not given the park? We will be at a loss. The central government has to take a call if they will give us the textile park.”
