The Tamil Nadu Government is considering the implementation of a procurement policy to source its technical textile needs from local industries, as disclosed by Dharmendra Pratap Yadav, the Secretary of the Department of Handlooms, Handicrafts, Textiles, and Khadi on Friday.

The state's textile strategy is expected to incorporate this procurement policy, with a focus on obtaining technical textile items locally, which may include both new and replacement products for current government use. Efforts are underway in the Department of Textiles and Handlooms to explore funding options for research and development in technical textiles, both independently and through collaborations between academic institutions and industry.

M. Vallalar, the Textiles Commissioner for Tamil Nadu, emphasizes that specialized cotton-based textile businesses in Coimbatore and Tiruppur should be key players in the production of technical textiles.

K. Vivekanandan, Commissioner of Handlooms, anticipates that achieving the state's goal of a US $1 trillion economy will positively impact the textile and handloom industries. The Department is actively engaging with institutions offering engineering and textile technology courses to support industry expansion.

Highlighting the potential, Prakash Vasudevan, Director of the South India Textile Research Association, notes that despite Maharashtra and Gujarat leading currently, Tamil Nadu is poised for a surge in technical textile production, given the industry's annual growth rate of 10%, compared to 4% in the conventional textile sector.