Union Textile Minister Smriti Irani today inaugurated the first ever Apparel and Garment Making Centre here in the home constituency of Chief Minister Mukul Sangma.
"Once this centre functions to its full potential, it will be an indication to investors across the country that the youth of the region are ready for economic engagement and expansion," she said while dedicating the centre to the people of Meghalaya.
"This project is a testimony of the true convergence of efforts from both the Centre and the state," she said.
Opportunities for employment will be presented to both men and women of the region and make them economically empowered through the Centre, the Union Minister said.
Covering an area of 45,000 sq feet, the centre was set up under North East Region Textiles Promotion Scheme (NERTPS) at an approximate cost of Rs 14.26 crore and was completed within a record time since its construction began in 2015.
Irani said that the Union Ministry of Textiles was implementing projects worth Rs 70 crore in the Secriculture & Weaving sector for Meghalaya alone, and currently out of Rs 53 crore, close to Rs 32 crore has already been sanctioned for the state for promotion of handlooms and appealed to the youngsters, particularly women, to leverage upon their handloom legacy and become enterprising entrepreneurs.
As the region is well-known for regional dyes, she urged the weavers of the state to register with the India Handloom Brand which can connect the weavers directly with huge multinational companies.
Chief Minister Mukul Sangma expressed confidence that the
garment centre at Hatisil village will become the most sought after export unit in the state considering the fact that international market is within few kilometers in Bangladesh.
"It is because of the proximity to the neighbouring country and marketing potential that the state government has decided to start a Business Incubation Centre & Industrial Business Centre at Hatisil," he said.
Union Minister of State for Home Affairs Kiren Rijiju said that the Centre has given special focus to Meghalaya, particularly Garo Hills, in creating job-oriented programmes, adding there could not be a better programme for women than this scheme for promotion of textiles and handloom in the state.
Dwelling on the huge potential of the region, he said there was a need to create industries and employment opportunities to harness the potential of various sectors, like sericulture & weaving.
