Central team to visit Kopparti textile park site tomorrow

Visakhapatnam/Vijayawada: After several representations, the State's efforts to establish a mega textile park at Kopparti near Kadapa appears to be bearing fruits with the Union Government agreeing to depute a team to study the proposal.

The State has identified over 1,000 acres near the Koparti YSR Jagananna Mega Industrial Hub and Electronic Manufacturing Hub, which were formally inaugurated a few months ago by Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy.

The Ministry of Textiles is keen on establishing seven Prime Minister Mega Integrated Textile Region (MITRA) as part of efforts to achieve Atmanirbar Bharat.

Andhra Pradesh Government has already identified over 1,000 acres of contiguous and encumbrance-free land parcel along with a promise to develop the required infrastructure and ecosystem. The textile park policy envisages development capital support of 30 per cent of the project cost with a cap of Rs 500 crore for brownfield projects across the States.

Special Chief Secretary of Industries Karikal Valaven elaborated on the comprehensive industrial policy finalised by the State and exuded confidence on securing Centre's support to locate one of the seven PM MITRA projects at Kopparti. The government has already submitted detailed representation to Union Textiles Minister Piyush Goyal.

Valaven said they are offering a slew of incentives under the policy for the investors in the Kopparti. He said AP is the seventh largest producer of cotton in India and ranks second in silk production. A lot of entrepreneurs in the textile sector are available in undivided Chittoor, Kadapa and Nellore districts. Anantapur has a handloom and handicrafts training center. The Indian Institute of Handloom Technology is located at Nellore. Nellore is a prominent area in yarn production.

Visakhapatnam is home to Brandix India Apparel City (BIAC), India's largest single location apparel park which employs over 30,000 women workers.

The Central team will visit the proposed site for inspection and hold talks with the government on May 6. The team will consist of Hemant Kumar Nanda, Director, Textiles, Purnendu Kant, Deputy Secretary and a senior official from Union Textile Commissioner's office.

APIIC Managing Director J Subrahmanyam said in a presentation at a meeting in New Delhi on Wednesday that the proposed site has good connectivity with availability of power from the grid set up at Mega Industrial Hub in the vicinity and water access from Brahmasagar Reservoir.