Approved projects will receive Rs 13.65 crore in government support.
The Ministry of Textiles has approved 31 start-ups under the Grant for Research and Entrepreneurship across Aspiring Innovators in Technical Textiles (GREAT) scheme. The approved projects have a combined cost of Rs 15.40 crore, including Rs 13.65 crore as the Government of India’s contribution.
Minister of State for Textiles Pabitra Margherita disclosed the details in a written reply to the Lok Sabha. The selected start-ups are located across Andhra Pradesh, Delhi, Gujarat, Karnataka, Maharashtra, Punjab, Rajasthan, Tamil Nadu, Uttar Pradesh and Uttarakhand.
Maharashtra leads with seven approved projects, followed by Tamil Nadu with six, Delhi with five, Gujarat with four and Uttar Pradesh with three. Karnataka has secured approvals for two projects, while Andhra Pradesh, Punjab, Rajasthan and Uttarakhand have one project each.
Implemented under the National Technical Textiles Mission (NTTM), the GREAT scheme provides eligible start-ups with financial assistance of up to Rs 50 lakh to develop commercially viable technologies and products in the technical textiles segment.
The approved projects cover smart textiles, advanced functional fabrics, energy-harvesting textiles, healthcare wearables, high-performance composites, sustainable materials, biodegradable products and medical textile technologies.
The Government is also supporting public and private educational institutions under NTTM guidelines aimed at strengthening technical textile education, research and laboratory infrastructure across states and Union Territories.
The mission regularly organises workshops, exhibitions, seminars and outreach programmes to help researchers and start-ups showcase innovations and engage with industry stakeholders.
The GREAT scheme is open to eligible start-ups across India. One proposal from Andhra Pradesh’s Guntur district has been approved, while no proposal has been received from Palnadu district. No approved proposal from Chhindwara district was specified in the minister’s response.