The Karnataka state government has decided to restructure the Handlooms and Textile Department apart from this the 145 skill development centres in the State would also be upgraded with the provision of hi-tech textile centre to offer skill development.

Official sources said on Friday that to restructure the handlooms and Textile Department, the Deputy Director posts in the six divisional headquarters have been upgraded to Joint Director posts and 237 new posts of different cadres have been created to strengthen the divisional offices and to man the three new district offices of the department.

To effectively implement the new textile policy and give a boost to skill-development programmes of the department, more posts are being sanctioned and also allowing it to open district offices in Chikballapur, Ramnagar and Yadgir districts and creating a separate division office for Hyderabad Karnataka.

Sources said that the work of the Gulbarga Textile Park has also been hastened up and expected to be completed within 15 months which would create 10,000 direct and indirect.

Sources said that an international textile park was being established in Yadgir district with an investment of Rs. 5,000 crore and the State government had given its administrative approval. Chief Minister Siddaramaiah will lay the foundation stone on September 25 in Yadgir.

The restructuring is taken up to strengthen the department and to upgrade the skills of unemployed youths and create jobs for five lakh people over five years.