Maharashtra govt plans 9 textile parks for value-addition

Maharashtra plans to set up nine textile parks in the northern cotton-growing regions of the state to supplement farmers’ income through value-added products, state industries minister Subhash Rajaram Desai told delegates at the Progressive Maharashtra Summit organised in Mumbai by the Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FICCI).

Citing the example of the textile park at Amravati, which has over 30 units operational, Desai said value addition will help farmers get a good price for cotton.

He said farming needs to be made more viable and sustainable and loan waivers for debt-ridden farmers were not a good solution. The government is also working on a new food processing policy, he said.

A special platform called ‘Maitri’, which brings 18 departments together, can be used by anyone who wants to invest in the state and expects quick clearances, Desai added.

The theme of the 5th edition of the summit inaugurated on September 18 was ‘Maharashtra 2025: Leapfrogging to the $1 Trillion Economy’.