1. Maharashtra contributes over 10% of India’s textile and apparel production and is among the country’s largest cotton-producing states. Yet, a significant portion of cotton from Vidarbha and Marathwada continues to leave the state for value addition elsewhere. The government has articulated a target of increasing in-state cotton processing from around 30% to 80%. What specific interventions are being planned to bridge this gap and retain greater value addition within Maharashtra?
Maharashtra’s approach to addressing cotton processing is centred on building an integrated “Farm to Fiber to Factory to Fashion to Foreign” ecosystem within the State. The idea is to expand spinning, weaving, processing and garmenting capacities closer to cotton-producing regions such as Vidarbha and Marathwada, so that more of Maharashtra’s cotton is processed within the State rather than being sent elsewhere for value addition.
Maharashtra is targeting ₹25,000 crore in investments in the current policy period. Under the Integrated and Sustainable Textile Policy 2023–28, the State is encouraging investments in processing infrastructure through capital and electricity subsidies, with additional support for projects in backward regions. The policy also focuses on modernising the State’s 674 processing units through technology upgradation and supports environmentally responsible growth by providing incentives for Effluent Treatment Plants (ETPs), Common Effluent Treatment Plants (CETPs) and Zero Liquid Discharge (ZLD) systems. To improve competitiveness and lower operating costs, processing units are also being encouraged to adopt renewable energy solutions such as solar power. Together, these interventions are aimed at increasing in-state cotton processing from around 30% to 80%, strengthening local value addition, creating employment opportunities and positioning Maharashtra as a leading hub for value-added cotton textile exports.
2. Maharashtra is home to some of India’s most important textile clusters—including Bhiwandi, Ichalkaranji, Solapur, Malegaon, and Nagpur. However, many of these ecosystems continue to be dominated by small and informal enterprises facing modernization challenges. How does the government plan to accelerate technology adoption and formalization of these clusters while ensuring that smaller units remain competitive?
Maharashtra’s textile sector has been built on the strength of MSMEs and decentralised manufacturing, and our approach is to modernise these ecosystems while preserving their entrepreneurial character. Through the Integrated and Sustainable Textile Policy 2023–28, eligible MSME textile units can avail Capital Investment Subsidy of up to 45%. Additionally, under the Maharashtra Technology Upgradation Fund Scheme (MAHA-TUFS), eligible units can receive Capital Investment Subsidy of up to 40% of the basic cost of eligible machinery (up to ₹25 crore) in Zone I, with graded support across other zones to encourage technology upgradation, productivity enhancement and export competitiveness. The policy further promotes sustainable modernization through assistance for solar power installations, Effluent Treatment Plants (ETPs) and Zero Liquid Discharge (ZLD) systems
With the intent of making these benefits more accessible, the State has launched the e-Textile Portal for online subsidy applications, while dedicated provisions for expansion and modernization in the spinning and powerloom segments are helping existing units upgrade technology, improve productivity and enhance competitiveness.
3. Through Maha-TUFS, capital subsidies, and power incentives, the state has created one of the country’s most attractive textile policy frameworks. Yet industry stakeholders frequently cite delays in subsidy disbursements and credit access as key bottlenecks. What steps are being taken to improve ease of doing business and ensure that policy benefits reach entrepreneurs in a time-bound manner?
The Government recognises that for businesses, timely access to incentives is just as important as the incentives themselves. With this in mind, the Integrated and Sustainable Textile Policy places a strong focus on ease of doing business through digital and transparent processes. The e-Textile Portal enables end-to-end online applications, real-time tracking and faster disbursement of subsidies under various textile schemes, reducing paperwork and procedural delays. Designed to serve everyone from MSMEs to large enterprises, the platform simplifies the application process through minimal documentation requirements and is supported by an AI-powered chatbot to address queries in real time, making government support more accessible, efficient and accountable.
4. Maharashtra has announced six dedicated Technical Textile Parks and is positioning itself as a hub for high-performance textiles across Agrotech, Meditech, Buildtech, and Geotech segments. What is your vision for Maharashtra’s role in India’s technical textile growth story, and how do you plan to attract investments in these emerging sectors?
Maharashtra’s ambition is to emerge as India’s leading hub for high-value technical textiles by building on its strong manufacturing base, engineering expertise and research capabilities. Under the Integrated and Sustainable Textile Policy 2023–28, the State has proposed six dedicated Technical Textile Parks and is the first in the country to launch the Maharashtra Technical Textile Mission (MTTM), modelled on the National Technical Textiles Mission.
In line with the National Technical Textiles Mission (NTTM), Maharashtra is the first State to declare the Maharashtra Technical Textiles Mission (MTTM). Stakeholder consultative meetings were conducted to finalize the draft guidelines. Necessary amendments were also made to the Technical Textile Parks Scheme, following which the Expression of Interest (EOI) was republished. The three proposals received were evaluated by the committee, and Detailed Project Reports (DPRs) have been called.
A key focus of the Mission is research and innovation. Under Component I – Research and Development, with an outlay of ₹50 crore, the State aims to support product development, testing facilities, industry-academia collaboration and technology adoption. The operational guidelines for this component are expected shortly. Alongside initiatives in skilling, market development and export promotion, these efforts are intended to attract investments, foster innovation and position Maharashtra as India’s foremost destination for technical textile manufacturing.
5. Traditional products such as Paithani, Himroo, Karvat Kathi, Khana fabrics, and Ghongadi represent Maharashtra’s rich textile heritage. What strategy is the state pursuing to preserve these crafts while simultaneously enhancing their global market presence, exports, and commercial viability for future generations of artisans?
Maharashtra’s intention is to preserve its rich textile heritage while ensuring that these crafts remain commercially viable for future generations of artisans. Under the Integrated and Sustainable Textile Policy 2023–28, the State continues to support weavers through free electricity of up to 200 units, festival assistance of ₹10,000 for registered male weavers and ₹15,000 for registered female weavers, along with marketing support, participation in exhibitions and initiatives that improve market access and brand visibility. Excellence is also recognised through awards presented on National Handloom Day, with cash prizes of ₹20,000, ₹15,000 and ₹10,000 for outstanding designs across Maharashtra’s five traditional textile sectors.
Complementing these efforts, Maharashtra has launched the Kargha series—a first-of-its-kind documentary initiative in association with Prasar Bharati and hosted on the WAVES OTT platform to bring the stories and craftsmanship behind iconic traditions such as Paithani, Himroo, Karvat Kathi, Khana and Ghongadi to wider audiences. The State is also exploring blockchain-based traceability solutions that can create a digital passport for these products, helping establish authenticity, build consumer confidence, protect genuine artisans and enhance the market value of Maharashtra’s heritage textiles. By combining artisan welfare, technology, storytelling and market outreach, our objective is to ensure that these traditional crafts continue to thrive in both domestic and global markets.
6. Labour informality, skill shortages, and workforce welfare remain significant concerns in several textile clusters, particularly in the powerloom sector. What measures is the government considering to improve workforce formalization, social security coverage, skill development, and long-term employment sustainability within the textile value chain?
Workforce welfare and labour formalisation in Maharashtra is looked after by the Department of Labour, which administers statutory protections, social security coverage and grievance redressal for workers across the State.
Maharashtra recognises that a skilled and secure workforce is essential for the long-term growth of the textile sector. The Integrated and Sustainable Textile Policy aims to create nearly five lakh employment opportunities by strengthening skill development across the value chain. It supports training through Weaver Seva Kendras, Technical Training Institutes and ITIs, provides assistance of up to 50% of project cost (up to ₹20 lakh per centre) for establishing and upgrading textile training centres, and promotes partnerships with institutions such as DKTE, IIT Bombay, VJTI and SASMIRA to equip workers and entrepreneurs with modern textile skills. These State-level efforts complement national capacity-building initiatives such as SAMARTH – the Scheme for Capacity Building in Textile Sector.
The State also lays adequate emphasis on the importance of social security for traditional artisans. Under the Handloom Weavers’ Welfare Scheme, eligible handloom weavers and workers are covered under the Pradhan Mantri Jeevan Jyoti Bima Yojana, which provides a life insurance cover of ₹2 lakh, with the State Government bearing the annual premium of ₹180. Building on these efforts, the Government is working with the Department of Skill Development, Employment, Entrepreneurship and Innovation to develop a Textile Skill Development Mission that focuses on industry-led skilling, stronger placement linkages and sustainable livelihoods across Maharashtra’s textile clusters.
7. The Integrated and Sustainable Textile Policy 2023–2028 aims to attract ₹25,000 crore in investments and create five lakh jobs. As Maharashtra participates in Bharat Tex 2026, what message would you like to convey to global investors and textile manufacturers, and what outcomes do you expect from the event in terms of investments, exports, technology partnerships, and employment generation?
Bharat Tex provides an important platform to showcase Maharashtra’s strengths as a preferred destination for textile and apparel investments. Our message to global investors is that Maharashtra offers a stable policy environment, robust industrial infrastructure and a collaborative ecosystem that supports innovation and value addition. Beyond investment commitments, we see Bharat Tex as an opportunity to build long-term partnerships in technology, sustainability, technical textiles and market access, which will strengthen exports, create quality employment and further enhance the global competitiveness of Maharashtra’s textile sector.
We particularly invite global investors and textile manufacturers to explore opportunities within Maharashtra’s growing network of dedicated textile infrastructure – the PM MITRA Park at Amravati, the State’s Technical Textile Parks, and its Mini Textile Parks spread across all six revenue divisions. Each of these is designed to anchor large-scale, organised manufacturing closer to raw material sources, and together they are expected to generate substantial direct and indirect employment, making them a compelling proposition for investors seeking scale, policy support and long-term employment generation in Maharashtra.
