Odisha will set up textile mills in its cotton belt to boost local value addition, jobs, and farmer-linked industrial growth, says CM Mohan Majhi.
The Odisha government will set up textile mills in the state’s cotton-producing districts, Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi announced a signalling a policy push to retain value addition and employment within the state’s agrarian regions. Speaking during a visit to Sonepur, the Chief Minister said western Odisha—particularly districts such as Bolangir, Kalahandi and Sonepur—would be prioritised for textile-led industrialisation, addressing a long-pending demand of cotton farmers and local industry stakeholders.
Despite producing lakhs of quintals of cotton annually, Odisha lacks adequate processing capacity, forcing farmers to send raw cotton to other states for ginning and manufacturing. This has resulted in lower returns for growers and limited local employment opportunities. Textiles have been identified as one of Odisha’s 16 priority sectors, Majhi said, adding that industrialisation efforts would be expanded across all 30 districts of the state. “Roadshows have been conducted and investors have shown interest. Textile mills will be set up in cotton-producing regions through a transparent process,” he said.
The initiative forms part of the government’s ‘Field to Fashion’ programme, which aims to integrate cotton cultivation with textile and garment manufacturing within the state. Officials said the move is expected to generate large-scale employment, curb migration from western Odisha and strengthen farmer incomes.
Currently, thousands of tonnes of cotton produced in Odisha are sent to other states and overseas markets, including Bangladesh, for further processing. The proposed textile mills are expected to anchor a local textile value chain and provide a significant boost to the state’s industrial landscape.
News Courtesy : Deccan chronicle