Bengal eyes to double textile industry to Rs 70,000cr in 5yrs

West Bengal on Friday said thatit has set a target to double the state's textile industry toRs 70,000 crore over a period of three to five years.

West Bengal Industrial Development Corporation (WBIDC)chairman Rajiva Sinha said that the state has also decided toset up a task force to implement the target.

Speaking at an interactive session, Finance MinisterAmit Mitra pointed out that the potential of export from WestBengal is far more than it is tapped.

The textile export from Bengal is around 2.7 per centof the total export from the country, he said.

In the next three to five years, it should go up to 10per cent, Mitra said.

The readymade garment sector in Kolkata's Metiabruzitself is worth Rs 15,000 crore, and has the potential ofgrowing up to Rs 25,000 crore in the next few years, he said.

The minister emphasised on hosiery export to Europe,South East Asia and the US.

The work for the Nungi textile hub near Kolkata hasalready started and it will attract an investment of Rs 440crore, he said.

The first spinning mill in Howrah would come up atJagdishpur, he added.

The state government has also received a proposal fora Rs 550-crore poly-fiber manufacturing unit in Haldia.