The central government is mulling to develop Surat as a textile machinery hub to provide state-of-the-art technology at affordable rates to the country’s largest textile cluster which where a large number of units are based.

Already, a committee for the purpose has been formed by the Union ministry of textile, in which representatives of Surat’s trade and industry have been included. Over the past few years, various associations including the South Gujarat Chamber of Commerce and Industry (SGCCI) are making representation to encourage textile machinery manufacturing activities near Surat. Now, the central government has initiated the process in that direction.

Textile units in Surat are heavily banking upon imported machineries from China, Korea and Germany, says Ketan Desai, president of SGCCI, adding that if proper infrastructure is be provided, textile machinery manufacturers from across the globe would throng as they would get ready market in Gujarat, especially in Surat. Desai, who is also part of the committee formed by the Union textile ministry, says that the idea is to attract leading manufacturers to Surat, which would not only boost the concept of ‘Make in India’ but it would also be beneficial for local textile units in terms of cost.

During her recent visit to Surat, Union textile minister Smriti Irani met representatives of SGCCI as well as those from Textile Machinery Manufacturers’ Association (TMMA) and insisted them to provide input for the backward integration of the textile industry by promoting textile machinery manufacturing hub in Surat, says Dev Kishan Mangani, chairman of SGCCI’s textile committee.

“Already, around 100 textile machinery manufacturing units are functioning near Surat. Most of these units are scattered and SMEs. If proper infrastructure is provided, foreign players would also set up their units to cater to the huge market. It would be win-win situation for manufacturers as well as textile units,” says Vallabhbhai Thummer, chairman of TMMA.

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