The textile cluster project at Malegaon designed under the scheme of the Union Ministry of Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSME) spread over two acres with a built-up area of 39,276 sq.ft is almost complete and will start operations on a trial basis from August 26.

The project is named after Baliram Hiray Hi-tech Textile Cluster Services Pvt Ltd, with a total project cost to the tune of Rs 15.84 crore. This includes an 80% grant (Rs 12 crore) from the Centre, 10% (Rs 1.5 crore) from the state and the other 10% (Rs 2.34) from stakeholders. The textile cluster is located in the Malegaon co-operative industrial estate.

Director of the textile cluster project Prakash Kankaria announced that they have completed work on the textile cluster's building and have also erected machineries there. They are now in the process of electrification, which will be completed in the next three-four days. The trial operations are expected to begin from August 26. Commercial operations will start within a week thereafter. They are confident of meeting the deadline given to them of August 28 by the government for commencement of the cluster project.

Malegaon known as the town of powerloom units not only in the state but also across the country is 130 years old with almost 2 lakh powerloom units in the town operate traditionally, had not yet been modernized. They did not have adequate amenities for pre and post weaving treatment. But the advanced technologies at the common facility centre would help boost the powerloom units in the town.

The cluster project will have a common processing house, auto wrapping, testing labs as well as common treatment plants.