SIDCO accepts garment cluster plan

Small Industries Development Corporation (SIDCO) has accepted the request of Tiruchi District Tiny and Small Scale Industries’ Association (TIDITSSIA) for establishment of a cluster of garment units at Ariyamangalam Industrial Estate.
SIDCO Chairman and Managing Director D. Rajendran, with whom the TIDITSSIA placed the proposal during his recent visit to Tiruchi, accepted it in principle, said association president S. Sridharan.
As per the proposal, the SIDCO will construct and sell built-up cubicle space of 500 square feet for housing 160 units in a vertical structure and create common facilities.
Each unit, according to Mr. Sridharan, will employ 20 persons.
Not less than 3,000 people could be employed for garment manufacture, he said, adding that export houses in Karur, where manpower shortage was highly felt, were prepared to outsource their work to the units in the proposed cluster.
Mr. Sridharan said that considering the quantum of outsourcing work, Mr. Rajendran was also accommodative to the TIDITSSIA’ suggestions for starting similar clusters in the SIDCO industrial estates at Tirugokaranam and Viralimalai in Pudukkottai district where workforce was available in plenty.
The TIDITSSIA is prepared to provide training for the workforce oriented towards garments manufacture under its STED (Science and Technology Entrepreneurship Development) initiative supported by the Department of Science and Technology, New Delhi.
Promotion of food processing units would be the next focus, Mr. Sridharan informed, adding that the Association had plans to take the help of the Central Food Technological Research Institute, Mysore, and the National Research Centre for Banana (NRCB).