The textiles have been recognized as a thrust area for growth during the Eleventh Five Year Plan due to the sector's potential to boost productivity, employment and investment.
Thus, it is projected that an additional 5 million jobs will be created for skilled labours in the textile sector during the Eleventh Plan.
This, in turn, will create the need for an enlarged training and educational infrastructure. The Scheme of Neighbourhood Apparel & Textile Training Institutes for Job Assurance (NATIJA) has been formulated for establishing a network of employment-linked training facilities in basic garment manufacturing technology.
The Scheme is designed to meet the projected demand of 4 million trained workers required in the garment industry over the next 5 years.
This Scheme is to be operated at regional and sub-regional level across the country on Public Private Partnership (PPP) model.
The existing ITIs/ Polytechnics and other such institutes could be considered for locating such centres in the initial phase.
Creation of new training centres may be considered subsequently to meet the demand, as and when required. However, no time frame in this regard can be indicated at this stage.
This information was given by the Minister of State for Textiles, Shri E.V.K.S. Elangovan in a written reply in the Lok Sabha.
Press Information Bureau Government of India