Sant Kabir Textile and Apparel Park Scheme | 18 Sep 2025

Why in News?

The Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh presided over a high-level meeting to review the Sant Kabir Textile and Apparel Park Scheme, a flagship initiative designed to enhance the state’s position in the global textile market.

Key Points

  • About: Inspired by Sant Kabir's ideals of labor, simplicity, and self-reliance, the scheme aims to strike a balance between traditional handloom techniques and modern textile technology. 
  • Objective: It will create new opportunities for investment, production, and employment, positioning Uttar Pradesh as a significant player in the global textile industry
  • Current Status: Uttar Pradesh ranks among India's top textile and apparel exporters. 
    • In the 2023–24 period, the state contributed USD 3.5 billion to textile exports, accounting for 9.6% of the country's total textile exports.
    • The textile sector contributes 1.5% to the state’s GDP and employs nearly 22 lakh people.
  • Market Potential: The global textile market is projected to reach USD 2.3 trillion by 2030, offering a significant opportunity for Uttar Pradesh to secure a strong presence.
  • Textile Clusters in Uttar Pradesh: Traditional textile clusters in cities such as Varanasi, Mau, Bhadohi, Mirzapur, Sitapur, Barabanki, Gorakhpur, and Meerut play a pivotal role in the state's textile economy.
  • Investment and Employment Projections: 659 proposals have been received on the Investment Sarathi portal, amounting to a ₹15,431 crore investment and expected to generate 1,01,768 jobs. These proposals cover 1,642 acres of land, with each park spanning a minimum of 50 acres.
    • The parks will include a common effluent treatment plant and facilities for ancillary industries such as buttons, zippers, packaging, and warehousing.
  • PPP Model and Infrastructure Support: The scheme will be implemented through a Public-Private Partnership (PPP) model or a designated nodal agency, ensuring priority infrastructure such as roads, electricity, and water supply.
  • Government Initiatives for Weavers: The state government is offering subsidized electricity to weavers and exploring solar energy integration to lower production costs and enhance their income.
  • Significance: The Sant Kabir Textile and Apparel Park Scheme is expected to not only bring large-scale investments and job creation but also establish Uttar Pradesh as a global hub for the textile and apparel sector.

Sant Kabir Das

  • Sant Kabir Das, a 15th-century Indian mystic poet and saint, was born in Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh to a Hindu family but was raised by a Muslim weaver couple.
  • He was a notable figure in the Bhakti movement, which emphasised devotion and love for the divine.
    • The Bhakti movement started in the 7th century in South India and spread to North India during the 14th and 15th centuries.
    • Popular poet-saints of the Bhakti movement, like Ramananda and Kabir Das, sang devotional songs in vernacular languages.
  • Kabir sought spiritual guidance from teachers such as Ramananda and Sheikh Taqi, shaping his unique philosophy.
  • Kabir is revered by both Hindus and Muslims, and his followers are known as "Kabir Panthis."
  • His popular literary works include Kabir Bijak (poems and verses), Kabir Parachai, Sakhi Granth, Adi Granth (Sikh), and Kabir Granthawali (Rajasthan).
  • His works, written in the Brajbhasha and Awadhi dialects, significantly influenced Indian literature and the development of the Hindi language.