IT News
Imphal, August 23:
Chief Minister N. Biren Singh has 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, adding that even in sports out of our seven athletes at the recently concluded Commonwealth Games, five of them brought medals for the country. He cited the silk produced in the State, highlighting 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. Manipur is the land gateway of India to South East Asia, he said.
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, law and order improvement and added that all these has created investment opportunities for entrepreneurs and industrialists in the State.
Further commending road work taken up by the Border Road Organisation in Arunachal Pradesh as highlighted in a power-point presentation by Chief Engineer (P) Arunank Border Roads Organisation, (BRO), the Chief Minister expressed that Manipur needs these new technologies.
Citing that Manipur has soft soil, witnessing frequent landslides and long monsoons, the Chief Minister said that these types of technologies including the geo-textiles are very much important. He further requested Secretary Ministry of Road Transport and Highways, Government of India to ensure that these technologies are utilized along the Imphal-Jiribam, Imphal-Mao, Imphal-Aizwal and Imphal-Moreh roads. Further citing the lack of transportation options in the State, the Chief Minister asked the Secretary for dedicated teams along the Imphal-Jiribam and the Imphal-Mao highways to expedite road work progress.
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 reservoir, 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. He 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 industry and globally people prefer man-made fibre, she said, adding that in order to increase India’s stake in man-made fibre, some schemes have been initiated.
Darshana Vikram Jardosh further elaborated the PLI (Production Linked Incentive) scheme for textiles, the PM Mitra Scheme.
Textiles Commerce and Industries Minister Nemcha Kipgen said that the importance of technical textiles have 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 fibres and their incorporation in various areas suggest that the importance of technical textiles is going to increase in future, she said.
The Minister also said that today, the usage of the technical textiles ranges from agriculture to forestry, horticulture, animal and poultry rearing including animal clothing besides enhancing crop productions.
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, sinking of foundation and we have to overcome these challenges using new technology, he said citing some road works being taken up in Arunachal Pradesh.
Highlighting the successful use of geo-textiles in soil stabilization, slope stabilization, he said geo-textiles are extensively used in Arunachal Pradesh for slope stabilization.
He continued that the BRO remains committed to the use of modern technology to look for practical solutions to problems in the field.
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 fibres.
He continued that the NTTM has four components or focus areas which are Research, innovation and development, Education, Training & Skilling, Promotion and market development and Export promotion.
Rajeev also talked on the implementation mechanism under NTTM and key initiatives of the NTTM.
The inaugural session was also attended by Chief Secretary Dr. Rajesh Kumar, Secretary Ministry of Road Transport and Highways, GoI Giridhar Aramane, Indian Chamber of Commerce Pradeep Sureka, officials from BRO, Ministry of Textiles, among others.
