Agartala, May 20 (TIWN): Central Textile Minister (Independent Charge) Santosh Gangwar arrived state at 5.20pm on Tuesday. After landing, Minister straightaway headed to Matabari Temple at Udaipur for offering prayers. Minister was accompanied by Union Textile Secretary Dr. S.K.Panda.
Tomorrow the main programme would be held at Agartala Nazrul Kalakshetra at 11am.

Entirely funded by the Government of India the construction work of the proposed Textile Park and another Priniting unit would be completed by six months from now, said Nagaraju Maddirala, secretary to state Industry and Commerce on Monday.

Talking to the reporters here at the civil secretariat Nagaraju said that Govt. of India has funded Rs. 18.18 crore for setting up the textile park whereas for the printing unit it sanctioned Rs. 3. 41crore.

Adding to that he said that a total of three entrepreneurs would be brought here at the textile park at Budjingnagar industry estate and each would be provided with 100 stitching machines. A total of 300 stitching machines would be provided.

The park aims to generate a total of 1200 women from across the state and would be trained at the park, Nagaraju told to reporters.

The Indian government plans to set up ready-made garment manufacturing units in each of the eight north eastern States which, among other things, would boost local employment, particularly for women.

Recently such textile park has been inaugurated at Nagaland, Meghalaya, Manipur and the union Minister would lay the foundation stone of the textile park at Assam on May 19. However, later reaching here at the state Minister would lay the foundation stone for Tripura on May 20, said Nagaraju on Monday.

Detailing the project further Nagaraju said that the raw materials would be procured from local farms here in Tripura whereas with the new printing units coming up in Indranagar ITI, Tripura would not have to depend on other states like West Bengal which used to be earlier.

He said that National Buildings Construction Corporation Ltd. (NBCC) has been assigned with the construction work of the textile park at Budjongnagar which is expected to be completed by 6 months.  

However, according to the officials the garments would be exported to neighbouring countries. All the units would be run by small entrepreneurs. A Textile Ministry representative would be associated with the selection of the entrepreneur and the unit's management.

The Tripura government would extend all out support for setting up of the park. It would create new opportunities in the industry-starved northeastern region, Nagaraju said.

The Government of Tripura is making all possible efforts to increase silk production through adaptation of modern techniques.