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Technical Textiles & SITP - Two major steps

There are two important developments as far as now little easily breathing T extile Industry is concerned. The global market size of the T echnical T extiles industry, which was $107 billion in 2005, is expected to cross $127 billion by 2010. The industry's domestic market size is expected to grow at a rate of 11 per cent per annum and touch Rs. 67000 crores in the next 3 years from the present Rs. 37115 crores. It might be mentioned here that currently, the country produces only 4 per cent of technical textiles, while the remaining is being imported from countries like China, Malaysia and Hong Kong to meet the domestic requirements. India currently imports specialized textile items like Baby and Adult diapers, wipes, protection clothing and webbings worth Rs. 4000 crores. T echnical T extiles are mainly used for industrial purpose and also in construction of roads and dams. The segment has a potential to attract investment worth Rs. 5000 crores by 2012 and take the employment from the current 9 lakhs to 12 lakhs by the same time.

The Textile Ministry has drawn up ambitious plan to attract the attention of the traditional industry towards this specialized segment. It intends to spend $500 billion on the infrastructure sector in the current five year plan ending 2012, which is also likely to open up huge opportunities for technical textiles growth. The T echnical T extiles or specialised textiles represent a multi-disciplinary view with numerous end-use application, and it has penetrated all areas of economic activities like aerospace, agriculture, sports, defence, construction and medical. Based on this applications, technical textiles are grouped into 12 segments. These are agrotech (agricultural textiles), geotech (civil engineering), hometech (home furnishing), meditech (hygiene and medical), protech (protective textiles) and sporttech (sports textiles). Specialised textiles have many advantages like better hygiene safety, durability and comfort to consumers and also are cost effective in the long run. The life cycle cost of te chnical textiles is lower than the traditional materials. Unlike conventional textiles, which are used for clothing and furnishing, specialized textiles are used for non-aesthetic utility purposes, like in bullet-proof jackets, medical implants, automotive mats, seat belts and canopies.

Another very important development for the textile industry, is the ministry's consideration to set up additional 15 parks under the Scheme for Integrated T extile Parks (SITP) at an estimated cost of Rs. 2000 crore by 2012. This has been announced by the Union T extile Minister Mr . Dayanidhi Maran, while inaugurating the Gujarat ECO T extile Park at Surat few days back. The Surat Park set up over an area of 104 acres at a cost of Rs. 129 crores will attract an investment of Rs. 705 crores, and annually produce textiles products worth Rs. 850 crores. It will provide employment to 25000 people.

It is said that the SITP scheme has been a stupendous success. Already 40 parks are being set up, which, when fully operationalised will attract an investment of Rs. 19450 crores, annually produce goods worth Rs. 34000 crores and more importantly, will provide employment to 8 lakh people. Out of the 40 parks, 7 parks are coming up in Gujarat, including 5 in Surat, at an estimated investment of Rs. 3035 crores.

The above two important measures are expected to provide great tonic to the textile industry. Of course, everything depends on how effectively the schemes are implemented and in what time.