Indus Valley Times

33 MoUs inked; Rs 7,808 crore investment and 53,300 jobs pledged as Odisha launches textile transformation

By Nalini Sahu

Bhubaneswar, July 25: Odisha is set to emerge as the textile hub of Eastern India, Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi declared while inaugurating Odisha TEX 2025 — the region’s biggest textile and apparel summit — in Bhubaneswar on Friday.

The flagship event, organised by the Odisha government, saw the signing of 33 Memorandums of Understanding (MoUs) with leading textile and apparel firms, triggering proposed investments of Rs 7,808 crore and commitments to create over 53,300 jobs. With more than 650 delegates in attendance — including global brands, industry leaders, startups, and policymakers — the summit showcased Odisha’s growing clout in India’s textile map.

Among the participating companies were major players such as Page Industries, KPR Mills, Sportking, Anubhav Apparels, Bon & Co., and B.L. International, covering the entire textile value chain — from yarn production to finished garments, including technical textiles.

Chief Minister Majhi outlined a clear roadmap for textile-driven industrial growth in Odisha. Key announcements included the establishment of two new textile and footwear parks with plug-and-play infrastructure, an enhancement in worker subsidies under the Odisha Technical Textile & Apparel Policy 2022 — raised from Rs 5,000 to Rs 6,000 per month for men, and from Rs 6,000 to Rs 7,000 for women — signing of MoUs for skill development (especially to train women in areas like garment automation and wearable tech), and the formation of a dedicated Task Force under the Industries Department to expedite clearances and implementation.

“Ours is the most attractive incentive ecosystem in the country,” Majhi said, referring to the Industrial Policy Resolution 2022 and the Odisha Apparel & Technical Textiles Policy 2022. He added that Odisha TEX will now be hosted annually to highlight both the state’s rich handloom traditions and its modern textile ambitions.

Industries Minister Sampad Chandra Swain stressed that Odisha provides a complete value proposition — access to raw materials, skilled manpower, port connectivity, and quick approvals — making it a “China+1” sourcing destination for global textile brands.

Handloom, Textiles & Handicrafts Minister Pradeep Bala Samant reiterated the government’s twofold strategy: attracting world-class textile investments while preserving Odisha’s legacy in traditional weaving.

“Our goal is inclusive growth — uplifting traditional weavers while driving modern apparel exports,” he said.

With plans to develop new textile clusters in Bolangir, Keonjhar, Sambalpur, Jagatsinghpur, Ganjam, and Cuttack, and a target to generate over 1 lakh jobs by 2030, Odisha TEX 2025 marks a defining chapter in the state’s industrial transformation — where tradition meets technology, and investment leads to inclusive employment.