Ministry of textiles on Monday cleared 20 strategic research projects worth Rs30 crore in the areas of specialty fibres and geotextiles. These research projects fall under the flagship programme ‘National Technical Textiles Mission.’
Amongst the 20 research projects, 16 projects relate to specialty fibres, which in turn include 5 projects in healthcare, 4 projects in industrial and protective, 3 projects in energy storage, 3 projects in textile waste recycling, 1 in agriculture and 4 projects in geotextiles (infrastructure).
Various leading Indian institutes, centres of excellence and government organizations, including IITs, DRDO, BTRA, among others participated in the session. These projects are key to the development of Indian economy and a step in the direction of Atmanirbhar Bharat, especially in the healthcare, industrial and protective, energy storage, textile waste recycling, agriculture and infrastructure.
“Industry and academia connect is 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,” union minister of textiles Piyush Goyal said while addressing the scientists and technologists.
Goyal also highlighted the need to focus on high value added products and building a structure of brainstorming around problem statements. In addition, Inter-ministerial synergy is required for attracting mega research projects in the country.
The textile ministry had, on 26 March 2021, cleared 11 research projects worth Rs78.60 crore.