Imphal: Chief Minister N. Biren Singh said that Manipur is changing under the present Prime Minister Narendra Modi and other Central leaders and invited corporate sectors to come to Manipur and see the potential of the State.
The Chief Minister was addressing the inaugural session of the Technical Textiles Conference at Hotel Classic Grande, Imphal today.
N. Biren said Manipur has lots of potential in every sector. “We have started exporting various items including ginger, pineapple”, he said. He cited the silk production in the State and also highlighted the State’s potential in the handloom and handicraft sector.
Manipur with its rich textile tradition, strategic location and vibrant entrepreneurial eco-system has significant potential adding that Manipur is the gateway of India to South East Asia.
Further stating that Asian Highway is progressing fast, the Chief Minister further appreciated the National Highways and Infrastructure Development Corporation for the work along Imphal-Moreh highway.
The Chief Minister also highlighted cheap labour, round-the-clock water supply, power supply, customs office at Moreh, improved law and order situation, all of which has created investment opportunities for entrepreneurs and industrialists in the State.
Lauding the officials from the central ministries visiting the State, the Chief Minister said that such visits are important as the officials could study and understand the local reality during such visits.
He continued that schemes specific to the North East region have been taken up by the Ministry of Textiles to promote use of agro textiles and geo-textiles in the region.
Under such schemes, Manipur has taken up pilot projects with the technical textiles in National Highway construction, PMGSY road construction and lining of water reservoirs, he added.
Union Minister of State for Textiles, Darshana Vikram Jardosh lauded Chief Minister, N. Biren Singh and said what a double engine government is, should be learned from his government. She said after returning for his second term, the Chief Minister has worked along with all departments and ministries to take Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s vision forward.
She further said that we can witness Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Ek Bharat Shreshtha Bharat in how different ministries of the government or stakeholders are working together.
The MoS also explained the vision of the Textile Ministry under Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Cabinet Minister Piyush Goyal.
Our industry is mostly cotton-based and globally people prefer man-made fiber, she said, adding that in order to increase India’s stake in man-made fibre, some schemes have been initiated.
Textiles Commerce and Industries Minister, Nemcha Kipgen said that the importance of technical textiles has grown leaps and bounds and have become more relevant and important along with time as the varieties and different segments of technical textiles are growing in numbers having different purposes and usefulness, and is one of the sunrise sectors.
The invention of specialty fibers and their incorporation in various areas suggest that the importance of technical textiles is going to increase in the future, she said.
The Minister also said that today, the usage of technical textiles ranges from agriculture to forestry, horticulture, animal and poultry rearing including animal clothing besides enhancing crop production.
Brig AS Kanwar, Chief Engineer (P) Arunank Border Roads Organisation, (BRO) provided an overview of the BRO, challenges and case studies and mitigation of the challenges using new technology.
He talked of the challenges being deployed in the northern areas, where the Himalayan ranges post specific challenges. He said that there are new fold mountains, massive landslides, landslips, and sinking of foundations and we have to overcome these challenges using new technology, he said citing some road works being taken up in Arunachal Pradesh.
Joint Secy., Ministry of Textiles, Rajeev Saxena briefed the gathering about National Technical Textiles Mission (NTTM) and explained why India needs technical textiles. He said that with the traditional textile we cannot fulfill our requirements and we need man-made fibers.
The inaugural session was also attended by Chief Secretary, Dr. Rajesh Kumar, Secretary Ministry of Road Transport and Highways, GoI Giridhar Aramane, officials from BRO, and Ministry of Textiles, among others.
