Set up separate textile board: knitwear makers

Knitwear manufacturers here have asked the State Government to set up a State Textiles Board, and formulate a separate textile policy for Tamil Nadu.

In a memorandum sent to Chief Minister O. Paneerselvam, the industrialists said that a Textiles Board, and a textile policy would help the government give a focused approach to the development of textile industry.

A. Sakthivel, president of Tirupur Exporters Association, was of the opinion that the State textile policy should provide 5 per cent interest subsidy, and 10 per cent capital subsidy towards modernisation and expansion of capacity in existing units — similar to the textile policies of Gujarat and Maharastra Governments.

Some of the other demands that should be included in the coming budget were incentives for promotion of technical textiles, and capital subsidy for setting up various types of effluent treatment plants.

To reduce the impact of the power cost in the operation of effluent treatment plants, they wanted 25 per cent power subsidy.

A dedicated power station for the Tirupur knitwear cluster should be established. This was a long pending demand of various textile associations here.

A workers’ hostel should be constructed, and the Tirupur-Oddanchathram road should be widened, the memorandum said.