Bihar government is planning to set up garment bases of global brands like H&M, Zara, Lacoste and Burberry in the state. Taking inspiration from Bangladesh, that happens to be a manufacturing hub for the textile industry, the state is trying to convince the readymade garment tycoons to set up their bases in Bihar.
“We are inviting big European and American readymade garment buyers to Patna in June to convince them to set up their bases here,” said principal industries secretary S. Siddharth. “We will extend them all help and hold discussions over specifications and quality of the products they want. Most of them have bases in and around Dhaka in Bangladesh.”
Declaring 2017 as the year of textile, the industries department is trying to set up a textile park around Patna, with assistance from Infrastructure Leasing and Financial Services (IL&FS). It is expected to be ready by September.
Earlier in May, Siddharth had led a three-member delegation to Dhaka, to discover the prospects of setting up an apparel park in the state and their functions.
“We have decided to reimburse the labour cost to these big foreign buyers, companies or any other entrepreneur if they set up manufacturing bases here,” the official said. “This may not only induce them to come to Patna, but will also help develop a pool of skilled labourers needed here for this sector.”
David Birnbaum and Chiang Mai, consultants of the World Bank, have agreed to providing their expertise to the state government. They had earlier guided Bangladesh in the same.
