Lok Sabha Question No. 4342 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2025-08-19
Subject: Manchester of Karnataka Growing Centre for Cotton
Ministry: TEXTILES
Asked by: Dr. Prabha Mallikarjun

## MANCHESTER OF KARNATAKA GROWING CENTRE FOR COTTON

## 4342. DR. PRABHA MALLIKARJUN:

Will the Minister of TEXTILES वस्त्र मंत्री be pleased to state :

(a) whether the Government acknowledges the potential of Davanagere district, historically known as the "Manchester  of  Karnataka",  as  a  growing  centre  for  cotton  and  textile  industries  and  if  so,  what  is  the roadmap for developing the cotton value chain in the region;

(b) whether there is any proposal to set up a Textile Park or Cluster in Davanagere under the PM Mega Integrated  Textile  Region  and  Apparel  (PM-MITRA)  scheme  and  what  facilities  are  planned  such  as effluent treatment, warehousing, skill centres and transport infrastructure; and

(c) whether steps are being taken under the Scheme for Capacity Building in Textile Sector (SAMARTH) or  in  partnership  with  the  National  Skill  Development  Corporation  (NSDC)  and  Industrial  Training Institutes (ITIs) to set up textile skill centres in Davanagere, especially for women and youth?

## उत्तर ANSWER

## वस्त्र राज्  य मंत्री ( श्री पबित्र मार्घेररटा ) THE MINISTER OF STATE FOR TEXTILES

## (SHRI PABITRA MARGHERITA)

(a): Karnataka is one of the major cotton-producing states in India, with approximately 7 lakh hectares under cotton cultivation and an annual production of around 19 to 22 lakh bales. To safeguard the interests of  cotton  farmers in the state, the Cotton Corporation of India (CCI) has established robust procurement infrastructure, operating 37 procurement centres across 11 districts under its Hubli Branch Office.  In the current cotton season (2024-25), CCI has procured 25.61 lakh quintals of seed cotton -equivalent to 5.22 lakh bales of lint cotton - valued at ₹1,892 crore under the Minimum Support Price (MSP) operations in Karnataka.

To enhance cotton productivity and quality, a five-year 'Mission for Cotton Productivity' was announced by the Hon'ble Finance Minister in the Union Budget 2025-26. This initiative aligns with the Vision 2030 goals  to  strengthen  the  entire  textile  value  chain  and  foster  innovation.  The  Department  of  Agricultural Research  &  Education  (DARE)  has  been  designated  as  the  nodal  agency  for  implementation,  with  the Ministry of Textiles as a key partner.

The Mission aims to enhance cotton production through targeted interventions, including advanced research and  extensive  outreach  in  all  cotton-growing  states.   The  Mission  also  proposes  to  focus  on  developing climate-resilient,  pest-resistant,  and  high-yielding  cotton  varieties,  including  Extra  Long  Staple  (ELS) cotton, using advanced breeding and biotechnology tools.

(b): The Government has finalized the setting up of PM Mega Integrated Textile Region and Apparel (PM  MITRA)  Parks  at  seven  strategic  locations:  Virudhunagar  (Tamil  Nadu),  Warangal  (Telangana), Navsari (Gujarat), Dhar (Madhya Pradesh), Lucknow (Uttar Pradesh), Amravati (Maharashtra) including one in Kalaburagi (Karnataka), with an outlay of ₹4,445 crore over a period of seven years, up to FY 202728.

Under the PM MITRA Park scheme, standardized land use norms have been prescribed to ensure optimal planning and integration of the textile value chain. The land development plan for each park is structured as follows:

-  50% of the area will be dedicated to the Manufacturing Zone, which will cater to the entire textile value  chain  from  spinning  and  weaving  to  ready-made  garments  (RMG),  anchor  industries,  and ancillary units, including plug-and-play facilities.
-  20%  will  be  allocated  for  common  utilities  and  infrastructure,  such  as  roads,  Common  Effluent Treatment  Plants  (CETP),  Sewage  Treatment  Plants  (STP),  Water  Treatment  Plants  (WTP), substations, and boiler units.
-  10% will be reserved for subsidized housing and associated social infrastructure, including schools, hospitals, and other community amenities.
-  10%  will  be  earmarked  for  commercial  activities,  including  hotels,  exhibition  and  convention centres, office spaces, and related uses.
-  5%  will  be  used  for  specialized  and  value-added  services,  such  as  testing  laboratories,  training centres, R&D facilities, start-ups, and Centres of Excellence.
-  5% will be designated as a logistics  zone,  featuring  multi-modal  connectivity,  bonded  areas,  and facilities for seamless transportation and storage.

(c): The  Ministry  of  Textiles  is  implementing  the  SAMARTH  (Scheme  for  Capacity  Building  in Textiles  Sector)  with  the  objective  of  providing  demand-driven,  placement-oriented  skill  development programmes.  The scheme aims to supplement the efforts of the textile industry in generating employment in the organized textile and related sectors, covering the entire textile value chain, excluding spinning and weaving  in  the  organized  sector.  Samarth  is  being  implemented  across  India.   Since  its  inception,  the scheme has seen a total expenditure of ₹809.24 crore.

As of 13th August 2025, a total of 1,04,670 beneficiaries have been successfully trained (passed) under the Samarth scheme in the state of Karnataka, including 3,086 beneficiaries from Davangere district.

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