Morung Express News
Dimapur | April 5
The North East region’s first apparel manufacturing centre was inaugurated in Nagaland State today. The Apparel & Garment Making Centre (AGMC), funded by the Union Ministry of Textiles was inaugurated today at the District Industries Centre Complex, 6th Mile, Dimapur by Santosh Kumar Gangwar, Minister of State for Textiles (Independent Charge).
A venture of the Textile Ministry’s Integrated Skill Development Scheme (ISDS) for the textiles and apparel sector, the project was announced by Prime Minister Narendra Modi during his visit to the state in December 2014. It is part of an ambitious mission of the Central government to establish an apparel making centre in every state of the North East with Nagaland as the first to have the centre established in the region.
According to a brief on the working scheme of the AGMC, it has three units – two for production and one for skilling to be operated on “plug and play mode” for a period of three years. The firms (beneficiaries) selected to use the facilities will exit after the expiry of the three-year period. The firms selected for the period are The Connect Studio, Pinnacle Creations and Gurgaon-based Technopak Advisor’s Pvt. Ltd. The latter of three will focus on skill development and training. It envisages involving a total of 600 workers and trainees.
Wholly independent of government control, the production units will use the facility for commercial production for the open market employing its own artisans or workers. It can also be used for converting locally produced handloom fabrics into fashion garments.
Gangwar in his address shared a vision of turning Nagaland into a hub of garments manufacturing while aiding revenue generation in the state. “People think it is small, but there is much potential in the sector and we want to take it ahead,” he said, adding that the Central government is visualising to turn a 17 billion dollar garments sector into a 75 billion dollar industry. Stating promotion of entrepreneurship in garment making as key to this direction, he said that the project looks towards employing local entrepreneurs.
Terming sericulture as another area where Nagaland shows potential, he said that the Central government has sanctioned three sericulture projects which will support silk production of the Eri, Muga and Mulberry variety from rearing to marketing. It is targeted to assist around 5000 farmers.
“Development of apparel is closely attached to the development of handlooms in the region and we want to take them beyond the borders and showcase them to the world.”
He expressed confidence that projects targeting employment generation would empower the youth of the region to set up independent business enterprise rather than look for jobs in the mainland.
Gangwar also laid the foundation stone for a Muga P3 Basic Seed Station at Kobulong, Mokokchung, and launched the newly approved Integrated Eri Silk Development Project under NERTPS for women empowerment and sustainable livelihood in Kohima district.
Nagaland State Chief Minister, TR Zeliang while terming the setting up of the AGMC as “a milestone in the chronology of the economic development of Nagaland” expressed confidence that the facility will go a long way in empowering the youth and promoting entrepreneurship. “Our people produced cotton but this tradition is disappearing today. Yet our youth have keen interest in fashion designing and fashion technology. I hope this centre will become a breeding ground of many successful entrepreneurs.”
He further asked the farmers to revive the production of traditional cotton in the state. Zeliang had also underlined the need for a hostel attached to the AGMC for trainees in reply to which Gangwar assured to provide the necessary sanction.
