Union Textile Minister announces introduction of new course on technical textiles at NIFT Srinagar

Says India to be self-sufficient completely in production of silk in next two years

SRINAGAR: Union Textile Minister, Smriti Irani on Friday announced introduction of new courses on technical textiles in National Institute of Fashion Technology (NIFT) Srinagar. She also said that the students who want to try their luck should go through the Jammu and Kashmir Industrial Policy thoroughly.

“The challenge is that this campus (Srinagar campus) and those across the country don’t have a special dedicated team for technical textiles. That’s why I find it quite privileged to announce that NIFT will have course on technical textiles at its few campuses including Srinagar,” Irani said whole addressing a gathering here at SKICC here.

Irani was speaking at the first convocation class of 2020, organized by Institute of Fashion Technology Srinagar (Rangreth) at SKICC.

Irani said India in the past five years has seen an increase of 35 per cent in the production of silk. “We are at the position to be self-sufficient completely in the production of silk in next two years, which means currently we are at number two after China and after two years we will be completely self-sufficient and not to depend on any country for raw material. India is the number one jute producer of the world as well,” she said.

“If we talk about employment generation only in the sector of silk, we have seen a 20 per cent increase in employment opportunities. In past three to four years, Textile ministry has been focusing of technical textiles, which helps in producing rocket components, bullet proof jackets and other related things,” she said.

“According the recent budget presented by the government, there is capital expenditure possibilities of around Rs 3 lakh Crore and of which technical textile designers, manufactures have a huge domestic market that we can capture,” she added. (KNO)