The Palladam Hi-tech Weaving Park (PHWP), Palladam was the first park to be developed under the Scheme for Integrated Textile Parks (SITP) of Ministry of Textiles by availing 40 per cent grant from Central Government and 9 per cent grant from the State Government.
The park houses 90 factories with world class infrastructure facilities including uninterrupted power supply through dedicated feeder (currently cheaper by Rs.1.10 per unit), water supply, training centre, hostel facilities for the workers and all other infrastructure facilities. The Palladam cluster, having around 1.5 lakh looms and providing direct jobs to over three lakh people, was suffering due to old technology looms and facing problems to capture international market in the post-WTO regime.
Realising the need, M Senthilkumar, former Chairman of Powerloom Development & Export Promotion Council and current Chairman of The Southern India Mills? Association took the initiative and promoted Palladam Hi-Tech Weaving Park. Currently, the park is manufacturing high quality fabrics, made-ups, etc., and exporting 100 percent to various countries including Europe, US, etc. The success story of PHWP motivated several small and medium weavers in Palladam Cluster to install around 10,000 shuttleless looms during the last decade and enabled the cluster to become one of the leading exporting clusters in India.
Recognising the excellent performance of the park during the last decade, the Union Minister of State for Textiles awarded the overall best performing park to PHWP at the National Workshop held on 19th April 2015 at Surat.
The Union Minister of State for Textiles, Santosh Kumar Gangwar, who visited the park laid foundation stone for apparel manufacturing unit of BKS Textiles P Limited under Scheme for Additional Grant for Apparel Manufacture (SAGAM) and inaugurated PHWP Hostel Block for textile workers under Scheme for Textile Industry Workers? Accommodation (STIWA). The Minister also inaugurated apparel manufacturing unit of Bannari Amman Spinning Mills Limited under Scheme for Textile Industry Workers? Accommodation (SAGAM).
The Government of India provides 50 per cent subject to a maximum of Rs 3 crore grant under STIWA for workers? hostel and 40 per cent subject to a maximum of Rs 10 crore grant under SAGAM for establishing garmenting units in SITP parks to encourage value addition and create new jobs. After visiting the park, the Minister highly appreciated the facilities provided in the park and also excellent team work of the members of PHWP. Prior to the inauguration, M Senthilkumar, Chairman and Managing Director of Palladam Hi-Tech Weaving Park made a presentation to the Textile Minister highlighting the features and progress of the park.