The textile industry of Punjab, which has been losing edge in international as well as domestic markets due to lack of innovation and trained manpower, might get a new lease of life as the state is mulling to have a state-of-the-art Institute of Textile Technology and Research.
Punjab Technical University, Kapurthala, the textile giants of Punjab and the state Government would soon register a society to set up the institute.
An area of 20 acres near Barnala has been offered by the state government for the project with an investment of over Rs 100 crore .
According to Punjab Technical University, vice-chancellor, Rajneesh Arora, a consortium of major textile players of Punjab Vardhman, Nahar, Trident, Saluja and Arti group would be formed that would extend its technical support (expertise, course designing and practical training) for the institute.
The registration of the society would be done in October and we should have the land with us by November, he added.
He apprised that a memorandum of Understanding with the University of North Calorina is likely to be inked to seek global standards of curriculum and best practices in the trade.
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Arora added the inadequate availability of contemporary technology in their R&D lab, old syllabus not synchronic with the present industry’s requirements and unavailability of trained faculty have made a dent on the output of the textile units. Also, most of the existing institutes are catering to the specific sector of the industry thus miss the holistic approach towards the emerging needs of the textile industry. So, an investment in this field was imperative.
The proposed institute is expected to cater the requirements of the industry, keep track of latest developments in the textile fibres and textile technology and provide competent textile engineers, who can be absorbed in quickly for the best output.