Budget wishlist: TS seeks funds for textile, handloom development

Hyderabad: The Telangana government on Thursday sought allocation of funds in the 2021-22 Union budget for development of the Kakatiya Mega Textile Park (KMTP) and sanction of Mega Powerloom Cluster at Sircilla, besides other proposals.

In a letter to Union Minister for Textiles Smriti Irani, Minister K T Rama Rao said the KMTP was being developed at a total estimated project cost of Rs 1,552 croreof which the core infrastructure works would cost approximately Rs 1,094 crore.

“Under the proposed scheme, we understand that a total of Rs 500 crore capital support is available for a Mega Textile Park. We request that approximately Rs 300 Cr of this amount be released at the earliest to kick start major external infrastructure works urgently needed at the park,” he said.

KMTP can be taken up under the Mega Textile Parks scheme of the Centre, he added.

Requesting the union minister to establish a Mega Powerloom Cluster at Sircilla under Comprehensive Powerloom Cluster Development Scheme (CPCDS), Rao said as per the geo-tagging report as many as 35,588 power looms are in Telangana, with a majority of 25,495 in Sircilla District.

The Telangana Minister also requested the Centre to sanction an Indian Institute of Handloom Technology for the state.