Agartala, India (BBN)– The Indian government plans to set up apparel manufacturing units in its eight northeastern states aiming to boost local employment, particularly for women.
The textile ministry has already decided to provide Rs.180 million for each ready-made garment manufacturing unit called ‘Apparel and Garment Unit’ (AGU) in the northeast, Indian media reported quoting a senior official of Tripura’s handloom and handicrafts department said.
The official also said the government-run National Building Constructions Corp would set up the units in Assam, Arunachal Pradesh, Manipur, Meghalaya, Nagaland, Mizoram, Sikkim and Tripura.
The foundation stones in Nagaland and Manipur were laid recently.  
Around 300 women would be engaged in manufacturing garments in each unit, according to the official.

“The garments would be exported to neighbouring countries. All the units would be run by small entrepreneurs,” he noted.
India’s northeastern states border China, Myanmar, Bhutan, Bangladesh and Nepal. Some of the states have trade ties with some of these countries, especially Bangladesh and Myanmar.

The textile ministry and state governments would monitor the functioning of these units but would not play any role in their day-to-day work, reports IANS.  
A textile ministry representative would be associated with the selection of the entrepreneur and the unit’s management.”If these units are successful, similar units will come up in select districts later,” the official added.

At the instance of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the textile ministry earlier asked the northeastern states to provide 1.5 acres of land each, preferably near their capital, to set up the garment units.
“It’ll be a new beginning for the organised textiles sector in northeast India,” central Textiles Secretary S.K. Panda had earlier said.
The units are expected to meet the demand for garments from police and paramilitary forces in every state besides government officials as well as school uniforms.
India’s share in the global apparel and garment market is now just 3.7 per cent as against Bangladesh’s 6.1 percent and Vietnam’s 4.3 percent.

BBN/SSR/AD-26Mar15-12:40 pm (BST)