Textiles minister to discuss with CM Siddaramaiah on attracting investments to state

Bengaluru: Minister for Textiles Shivananda Patil on Tuesday said that he would confer with Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on the measures to be taken to attract investment for the sector in the state.

At the meeting of the High-Level Empowerment Committee held to discuss the implementation of the state’s new textile and readymade garment policy, the minister underscored the need to offer entrepreneurs in the textile industry sufficient support to incentivise investing in the state. Patil said that officials in the department had been instructed to draft a report detailing textile policies adopted in other states including Madhya Pradesh and Tamil Nadu. “The report must contain information on concessions offered by states such as Madhya Pradesh and Tamil Nadu to entrepreneurs,” the minister said.

The unstable political situation in Bangladesh is compelling textile industries to shift their operations elsewhere. “Entrepreneurs relocating their businesses are exploring opportunities in Tamil Nadu, where the textile industry is stable. We must know what should be done to attract these investors to Karnataka,” Patil added.

The minister pointed to Maharashtra government’s decision subsidising electricity for the textile sector. “If we follow that model, entrepreneurs in Maharashtra may be willing to invest here. Efforts must be made to adopt that policy in Karnataka,” said Patil.