CM Chandrababu Seeks NIFT Campus, PM MITRA Park to Accelerate Andhra Pradesh’s Textile Growth

Seeking to position Andhra Pradesh as a major textile and apparel hub, Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu has urged the Centre to support a series of key projects aimed at strengthening the state's textile ecosystem, generating employment, and promoting value-added industries based on natural fibres.

During a high-level meeting at the Secretariat with Union Textiles Minister Giriraj Singh , the Chief Minister requested the establishment of a National Institute of Fashion Technology (NIFT) campus in Amaravati and a PM MITRA (Mega Integrated Textile Region and Apparel) Park in Kuppam, Chittoor district.

Naidu informed the Union Minister that the state government had already earmarked 10 acres of land for the proposed NIFT campus and sought the release of ₹280 crore required for the project. He also highlighted Kuppam's strategic location near textile clusters in Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu and Karnataka, noting that the region is supported by around 35,000 power looms and more than 100 spinning mills , making it well suited for a large integrated textile park.

The Chief Minister further sought central assistance for establishing a Handloom Park in Mangalagiri and a Handloom and Handicrafts Museum in Amaravati to promote the state's rich weaving and craft traditions.

Emphasising the need to diversify rural incomes, Naidu proposed the development of industries based on natural fibres . He suggested setting up banana fibre extraction centres in districts including Kadapa, Anantapur, Nandyal, Krishna, East Godavari and West Godavari, taking advantage of the state's extensive banana cultivation. The fibre could be used in textiles, handicrafts and geotextile products.

He also proposed encouraging bamboo fibre processing units and eco-friendly packaging industries based on areca products through the public-private partnership (PPP) model, creating livelihood opportunities for tribal communities and farmers in dryland regions.

Highlighting Andhra Pradesh's large coconut-growing area and nearly 1,000-km coastline , Naidu called for the expansion of mechanised coir-processing units with support from the Coir Board and women's self-help group networks. He noted that coir geotextiles could play an important role in coastal protection and erosion control.

Responding positively, Giriraj Singh assured the state of the Centre's support for textile-sector development. He later visited a private textile unit at Mallavalli Industrial Area in Krishna district and interacted with industry representatives.

The Union Minister observed that while the global average cotton yield stands at about 2,000 kg per hectare , India's productivity remains significantly lower at around 450 kg per hectare , underlining the need for reforms in seed policies and farming practices. He also noted that Andhra Pradesh is widely recognised for its handloom sector , adding that one handloom cluster has already been approved while another is under consideration.

Pointing to emerging opportunities in advanced materials, Singh encouraged the state to explore sectors such as glass fibre, carbon fibre and graphene , and announced that a glass fibre manufacturing unit would soon be launched in Visakhapatnam.