The Powerloom Service Centre in Jabalpur has been closed for years, despite the existence of over 1,300 textile units in the city, and the absence of the centre has been due to the administrative indifference of the authorities.
Although there is still a considerable amount of activity taking place, the Government-run Powerloom Service Centre in Gohalpur has not been in operation for a number of years. The centre delivered essential institutional support, and, although important, it was still just one service provider among many, as it formerly offered training and expertise from powerloom innovators to weavers and small-scale garment entrepreneurs.
Notably, no training programs are being offered and the equipment sits idle and poorly maintained. The absence of institutional support concerns relevant stakeholders in the local textile industry, and they feel it is damaging productivity and innovation in the region.
As well as the closure of the centre, financial issues have muddied the waters, highlighting the failure of the Bharat Cooperative Society, as property owners, to pay rent on the centre’s premises for over three years. Despite repeated appeals to local and state Government authorities, the Bharat Cooperative Society are yet to receive a reply.
Despite this, local businesses and industry stakeholders, as well as ex-trainees, have been vocal to Government bodies to reinstate the centre, thereby restoring its training and support functions. There have been offers of proposals, but still no action.
The closure of the Powerloom Service Centre is seen as a significant blow to the textile community in Jabalpur, who are determined to move ahead in their textile businesses despite the lack of an institutional support mechanism.
