New Delhi [India], March 11 (ANI): Investment MoUs or proposals with expected investment potential of over Rs 18,500 crore have been signed or received under the PM Mega Integrated Textile Region and Apparel (PM MITRA) park scheme, Union Textiles Minister Giriraj Singh informed Lok Sabha on Tuesday.

In respect of PM MITRA park in Amravati, Maharashtra, the tender of infrastructure development for Rs 111 crore has been finalized and a work order issued, the minister said in his written reply.

In order to promote growth and development of the textile sector including exports, the central government is implementing various schemes/initiatives including Scheme for Integrated Textile Park (SITP), Integrated Processing Development Scheme (IPDS), Production Linked Incentive (PLI) Scheme, National Technical Textiles Mission (NTTM), SAMARTH - Scheme for Capacity Building in Textile Sector ATUFS, Silk Samagra-2, National Handloom Development Program (NHDP) and National Handicraft Development Program (NHDP).

With a view to developing integrated, large-scale, and modern industrial infrastructure facilities for the entire textile industry value chain, the government has approved setting up seven PM Mega Integrated Textile Region and Apparel (PM MITRA) Parks in greenfield/brownfield sites with a scheme outlay of Rs 4,445 crore for the period 2021-22 to 2027-28.

The government has finalised seven sites for setting up PM MITRA parks: Tamil Nadu (Virudhnagar), Telangana (Warangal), Gujarat (Navsari), Karnataka (Kalaburagi), Madhya Pradesh (Dhar), Uttar Pradesh (Lucknow), and Maharashtra (Amravati).

Once completed, each PM MITRA park is expected to attract about Rs 10,000 crore in investments and generate about 3 lakh (direct/indirect) employment opportunities.

The PM MITRA scheme has a financial outlay of Rs 4,445 crore from 2021-22 to 2027-28.

The government is implementing various schemes/initiatives aimed at promoting the textile sector pan-India.

The major schemes/initiatives include PM Mega Integrated Textile Regions and Apparel (PM MITRA) parks scheme which seeks to create a modern, integrated large scale, world class industrial ecosystem, which will help in attracting investments and boosting employment; Production Linked Incentive (PLI) Scheme focusing on Man Made Fibre and Apparel, and Technical Textiles to boost large scale manufacturing and enhancing competitiveness; National Technical Textiles Mission focusing on Research Innovation and Development, Promotion and Market Development, Skilling and Export Promotion; SAMARTH - Scheme for Capacity Building in Textile Sector with the objective providing demand driven, placement oriented, skilling program; ATUFS to incentivize technology upgradation and modernization through capital investment subsidy for eligible investment in benchmarked textile machinery; Silk Samagra-2 for comprehensive development of sericulture value chain; National Handloom Development Program and National Handicraft Development Program for end to end support for handloom and handicraft sectors etc.

The government is administering the National Handloom Development Programme and Raw Material Supply Scheme to promote the handloom sector and for the welfare and benefit of handloom workers across the country.

Under the schemes, financial assistance is provided to eligible handloom agencies/workers for raw materials, procurement of upgraded looms and accessories, solar lighting units, construction of workshed, product diversification and design innovation, technical and common infrastructure, marketing of handloom products in domestic/overseas markets, concessional loans under weavers' MUDRA scheme, social security, etc.

Further, the Office of Development Commissioner (Handicrafts) implements two schemes, the National Handicrafts Development Programme (NHDP) and the Comprehensive Handicrafts Cluster Development Scheme (CHCDS), to promote the overall development and promotion of the handicrafts sector across the country.

'Under these schemes, need based assistance is provided for end-to-end support to the artisans through marketing events, skill development, cluster development, formation of Producer Companies, direct benefit to artisans, infrastructural and technology support, research and development support etc. which are benefitting to the artisans throughout the country,' the minister said in a separate written reply in Lok Sabha. (ANI)