The lack of adequate land has stalled Rs. 500 crore (US $ 60.24 million) investment in Bhilwara’s readymade garment manufacturing sector, despite Bhilwara’s established reputation as a textile city in Rajasthan. The memorandum of understanding (MoU), signed by entrepreneur Kiran Bhandari at recent industrial summits, still remains unexecuted, while the files for the project continue to languish in Jaipur.
Sources in the industry say that the land is actually there; however, it is either inaccessible or priced well beyond the reach of investors. This has severely reduced the development of Bhilwara as a defined hub for garment manufacturing. While Bhilwara has seen significant growth in work orders—partially due to disruptions in Bangladesh—the aggravating structural challenges have prevented the development of set goals for an organized industrial cluster.
Through its 2024 “One District, One Product” policy, the state selected Bhilwara as a focus for support in textiles and garments, recommending subsidies including upwards of US $ 18,072 in margin money for micro enterprises. Entrepreneurs claim that the implementation of the support offered through this policy has yet to materialise on the ground, including with respect to land acquisition or infrastructure development.
Currently, the monthly turnover for readymade garment units in Bhilwara is approximately US $ 6.02 million and they employ around 6,000 workers. The garments produced include school uniforms, formal clothing, and hospital uniforms. Although Bhilwara’s units currently have production capacity and are receiving new orders from metro cities and retail brands, the district continues to face further issues around land, electricity, and water.
Bhilwara has over 100 units and produces approximately 20 lakh garments a month. Industry watchers speculate that without a resolution to land issues and infrastructure constraints, more growth has limited potential.
