The Karnataka government has issued a new order to locate suitable land in Ballari for the establishment of a denim textile park. The meeting, chaired by Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and attended by elected representatives from Ballari, focused on this agenda. District in-charge Minister B Nagendra and Ballari City MLA Nara Bharath Reddy have been assigned the responsibility of identifying the appropriate land for the park and creating a Detailed Project Report (DPR) for the proposed initiative.
As the Karnataka Assembly elections approached on May 10, Rahul Gandhi, the former leader of the Congress party and the current Member of Parliament from Wayanad, put forward a set of five significant promises. Among these commitments was a notable assurance of ₹ 5,000 crore dedicated to creating an apparel park in Ballari. Following this, Rahul Gandhi initiated communication with the State Government to underscore and highlight his proposal.
As part of his Bharat Jodo Yatra in September 2022, Rahul Gandhi made a significant stop in Ballari where he laid out his plans to bolster the district’s infrastructure. During the course of the roadshow, Rahul Gandhi shared, “In the course of the Bharat Jodo Yatra, I took a pause in Ballari and had the chance to visit some jeans manufacturing facilities. This visit illuminated the hardships faced by the women who are part of these units. I want to assure you all that our commitment rests on the transformation of Ballari into the denim hub of India. To materialize this vision, we are determined to establish an exclusive jeans manufacturing park.” He also expressed that in the event the Congress party attains power, a dedicated allocation of ₹5,000 crore would be directed towards the realization of a Jeans Apparel Park in Ballari.
Despite the party’s assumption of power, substantial transformations at the grassroots level have remained challenging. Vinayak Rao, leading the Bellary Garment Manufacturers Association (BGMA), emphasized, “Our challenges have multiplied, with the surge in cotton prices during 2022 being another detrimental factor to the sector.” He underscored the potential revival of the industry through the establishment of the textile park and urged the Congress to honor its commitment.
On August 8, Chief Minister Siddaramaiah brought together all the Ballari MLAs for a meeting focused on the district’s ongoing initiatives, as noted by Ballari City MLA Nara Bharath Reddy. Expressing the outcome of the meeting, Nara Bharath Reddy highlighted, “Guided by the Chief Minister’s directives, we have received instructions to craft a Detailed Project Report (DPR) and pinpoint suitable land locations within Ballari city to realize the proposed textile park. Our aim is to present a comprehensive DPR and collaborate closely with the district administration to compile an extensive inventory of government-owned lands.”
