Assam on July 6 participated in an ‘exclusive investment forum’ webinar on textiles and apparel sector, along with four other states. The Union Ministry of Textiles, in collaboration with Invest India, had organized the webinar in which, besides Assam, Gujarat, Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh and Telangana were invited.
Assam Industries and Commerce Minister Chandra Mohan Patowary participated in the webinar and invited textile investors to the state and assured customised support to their business ventures.
Taking part in the webinar, the minister said that Assam has the highest number of looms and weavers in the country.
“As per the 4th All India Handloom Census, Assam has the highest number of looms and weavers in India. With 10.9 lakh weaver households and 10.19 lakh looms, the cottage industry provides huge employment opportunities to the people,” said Patowary.
Highlighting the robust infrastructure that makes Assam an ideal investment destination for textile and apparel companies, Patowary said, “Assam has a textile park and is soon contemplating to set up another mega textile park. Assam offers the advantage of seamless connectivity to East Asia. With the advancement of the Act East policy, Assam is now the centre of South East Asia with access to 80 million people.”
Union Minister for Textiles Smriti Irani welcomed all the investors and highlighted that history of textile in India is centuries old. She called upon the investors to invest in India as it has a vast market for textile, with abundant raw materials and investor-friendly policies.
Ravi Capoor, Secretary, Ministry of Textiles, highlighted the ecosystem for the textile sector in India and presented the latest initiatives and schemes of the central government for promotion of textile industries in India.
KK Dwivedi, Commissioner and Secretary, Industries and Commerce department said that Assam produces 4650 MT of eri, 156.96 MT of muga, 59.50 MT of mulberry per year.
