A readymade apparel manufacturing unit has opened in Tripura. This is the second such unit to open in the Northeast. Nagaland already has one. A sum of Rs18 crores has been allotted for a readymade garment manufacturing unit or apparel and garment making center in each of the eight Northeastern states. The aim is to stop people from northeast India going to other parts of the country to seek jobs.

Each apparel unit would provide employment to 1,200 to 1,500 people. Entrepreneurs having a background in textiles can run an apparel garment business on a plug and play model. Each center will be provided 300 machines.

Tripura has enlarged the incentives to boost small and medium industries in the state. Soft loans have been provided to self-help groups at a rate of four per cent. This rate of interest would be further slashed to 3.5 per cent soon.

So far 8,000 self-help groups have become self-reliant and are producing lots of attractive and useful products from benefits provided by the state government. Readymade apparel and various other clothing have a huge market in northeast India, other parts of the country, Myanmar and Bangladesh.