Bengal invites investors to set up power looms in state

Kolkata: Taking a significant move towards making Bengal self-sufficient in production of woven clothes, the Mamata Banerjee government has taken the crucial move of inviting investors to set up power looms and other textile related industries at the upcoming Integrated Textile Park at Ashoknagar and Banipur of Habra in North 24-Parganas.

There is a requirement of around 7,200 million square metres, including 3,200 million square metres only in the garment sector, and woven clothes annually in the state. But at present only 300 million square metres is produced in Bengal in a year. As a result, the production-consumption gap compels import of fabric from other states.

This comes when Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee said that her aim is to make Bengal number one in industry and commerce.

Identifying that there is a scope of immediate installation of about 1.50 lakh power looms in the state, all necessary moves have been taken to attract investment in the sector by setting up power looms, spinning mills, wet processing (dying), garmenting industries at the West Bengal Small Industries Development Corporation Limited's (WBSIDCL) Integrated Textile Park at Ashoknagar and Banipur spread over about 47.52 acres of land.

WBSIDCL, under the state Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises and Textiles Department (MSME and T) is developing the basic infrastructure of the parks situated on either side of Jessore Road.

The parks are also situated close to Ashoknagar Road Railway Station and just 33 km from the airport.

When contacted, the state MSME minister Chandranath Sinha said: "We have sought expression of interest from the investors who are interested in setting up power looms and other textiles related units. Our aim is to make the state self-sufficient in production of woven clothes and the industrial parks would play a crucial role in this connection".

The minister on Monday also held a meeting with the concerned authorities in connection with the development of the Integrated Textile Park. The interested entrepreneurs would be taken for a site visit on Tuesday.

Each plot to set up units would vary between 5 cottahs to 20 cottahs. There is even provision to provide plots of more area, in case of valid requirement. If everything goes as planned there would be 41 and 31 plots at Ashoknagar Park and Banipur Park.