The state government of Tamil Nadu has allocated a sum of Rs 25 lakh to Coimbatore based Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International School of Textiles and Management (SVPISTM) to encourage entrepreneurship in technical textiles. SVPISTM is an autonomous institute providing comprehensive education, training, consultancy and research in textile management.

A dedicated textiles wing has been created at SVPISTM, which was set by the ministry of textiles, Government of India, said OS Manian, state minister for handlooms and textiles, at a two-day workshop on technical textiles.

The state government is taking every effort to support the development of the handloom and textiles sector, a top English daily quoted Manian as saying at the workshop.

During the inauguration of the workshop, minister for municipal administration and rural development SP Velumani said the government has constructed 575 green houses for handloom weavers at a cost of Rs 14.95 crore.

K Phanindra Reddy, principal secretary, Handlooms, Handicrafts, Textiles and Khadi Department, said technical textiles provides new opportunity to the Indian textile industry.

Alongside the workshop, an exhibition on technical textiles was also organised on the SVPISTM campus.

Institute director C Rameshkumar said in the first phase, workshops, seminars and training programmes would be organised for potential entrepreneurs in select technical textile products. In the next phase, the entrepreneurs would be assisted to develop business. (RKS)