New Delhi: The ministry of textiles has cleared 20 strategic research projects worth around ₹74 crores in different areas under the chairmanship of commerce and textile minister Piyush Goyal. Officials said that the research projects have been approved in areas of agrotextiles, speciality fiber, smart textiles, activewear textiles, strategic application areas, protective gear and apparel sports textiles. These strategic research projects fall under the flagship programme ‘National Technical Textiles Mission’ (NTTM).
Among these 20 research projects, five are of speciality fibres, six of agro-textiles, two each of smart textiles, protective gear and apparel and geotextiles, and one each of activewear apparels, strategic application area and have been given go ahead by the Centre.
Talking about the research programmes pertaining to technical textiles, the minister said that leading Indian institutes including IITs, government organizations, research organization and eminent industrialists, among others participated in the session, which cleared projects strategic for the development of Indian economy. “It is a step in the direction of Atmanirbhar Bharat, especially in the field of geo-tech, industrial and protective, agriculture and infrastructure,” he said.
Addressing the esteemed group of scientists and technical technologists, Goyal said, “Industry and academia linkages are essential for the growth of research and development in the application areas of technical textiles in India. Building convergence with academicians, scientists and researchers is the need of the hour.”
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The minister emphasised on the importance of contributions of technology and segment experts, scientists and academicians to India’s technical textiles future growth. “Despite the prominent usage of speciality fibres in India, indigenization of the technology has still been a major challenge, which needs collaborative interventions from both industry and academia,” he further added.
Revision of R&D guidelines and creation of dedicated indigenous machinery and equipment development guidelines under NTTM were discussed and recommended by the committee during the meeting. To bolster the innovation and research ecosystem in technical textiles, NTTM will support ideation and prototyping R&D projects worth upto ₹50 lakhs and ₹100 lakhs respectively, which have clear potential to translate into commercial products and technologies.
- Ministry of textiles clears 20 strategic projects in the areas of specialty fibres, agro-tech, etc.,
- The projects have been sanctioned under National Technical Textiles Mission (NTTM)
- 5 projects of speciality fibres, 6 of agro-textiles, 2 each of smart textiles, protective gear cleared
- 2 projects of geotextiles, 1 each of activewear apparels and sports textiles also approved
- Industry & academia linkages are essential for growth of research and development in textiles
- Ideation and prototyping R&D projects upto ₹1Crore to be supported under NTTM
