CHENNAI: The Tamil Nadu government will set up a Silk Export Trade Facilitation Centre at the Perarignar Anna Handloom Silk Park in Keezhkadirpur of Kancheepuram at an estimated Rs 2 crore to help silk weavers and producers access international markets better and increase exports.
Moving the demands for grants for his department in the Assembly on Tuesday, Minister for Handlooms M Vijay Balaji said a Natural Dye House will be set up at Rs 1 crore to promote the use of natural dyes and provide training to weavers and dyeing workers. A new Design Studio will also be established at Thirubuvanam in Thanjavur at Rs 80 lakh to develop modern designs for silk products, he added.
Further, Co-optex will introduce new designs and modern handloom products to attract young customers, the minister said, adding that its digital marketing and brand building will also be stepped up at Rs 1.50 crore.
The state will modernise six cooperative spinning mills at Rs 12 crore in order to improve their production capacity and to ensure the supply of quality yarn for schemes, the minister said.
The minister also announced a Tamil Nadu Knitwear Board, comprising representatives from the government and industry bodies, which will work towards the development of the knitwear sector.
Further, the government will organise a special handloom exhibition outside TN, besides five state-level expos, at an estimated Rs 2.55 crore. The state will also hold four buyer-seller meetings every year to boost textile exports.
To reduce power costs, 1,000 individual handloom units will get solar panels at 100% subsidy. The project will cost Rs 1.50 crore, which will be shared by the centre and the state, Minister Balaji said.