Durai Palanisamy, Chairman of The Southern India Mills’ Association (SIMA) appealed to the Tamil Nadu Government to provide adequate budgetary allocation for 2026-27, that will be presented at the assembly on 5th of August, so that it will help the State retain its dominant position in the textile sector.

By underlining that Tamil Nadu’s textile industry accounts for nearly 25% of India’s textile business, he requested the Govt to allocate sufficient funding that will help in bridging the industry’s skill gap by establishing industry-led training centres and supporting the upskilling of the existing workforce in alignment with the Skill Development initiatives of the Government of India.

He further emphasized that modernization of manufacturing machinery is essential for producing high-quality and cost-effective textile products. This will enhance the State’s global competitiveness and sustaining export growth. Hence Durai Palanisamy requested the State Government to introduce suitable capital subsidy schemes to encourage the replacement of obsolete technology textile machinery.
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While the processing units in Tamil Nadu have successfully adopted the Zero Liquid Discharge (ZLD) system to comply with stringent environmental norms, the process has resulted in the accumulation of substantial quantities of mixed salts, for which there is currently no scientifically viable and economically sustainable disposal mechanism.

SIMA’s Chairman urged the State Government to formulate a comprehensive scheme for the environmentally safe disposal of treated waste through deep-sea outfall, wherever technically and environmentally feasible, and to establish an effective mechanism for the scientific utilization or disposal of the accumulated mixed salts.

Durai Palanisamy also appealed the Government to allocate adequate funds for developing quality residential facilities, including family quarters with childcare centres and well-equipped hostels. Such infrastructure may be created either within individual textile manufacturing units or through cluster-based models to improve workers’ living conditions, enhance labour retention and support sustainable industrial growth.