Housing scheme for Tirupur knitwear workers: Venkaiah Naidu

TIRUPUR: Urban Development Minister Venkaiah Naidu today said his ministry would sanction a housing scheme for knitwear workers of Tirupur with support from the Tamil Nadu government.

The modalities of the scheme would eventually be worked out and the state government has to identify land for it, he told reporters on the sidelines of a function part of silver jubilee celebrations of Tirupur Exporters' Association (TEA).

Naidu responded to the question after local CPI(M) MLA K Thangavel highlighted the plight of garment workers due to lack of affordable housing.

The minister said the National Urban Housing Mission and New Urban Development Mission would be launched soon.

Once in place, it would be in line with the Prime Minister's vision of housing for all by 2022, he said.

Lauding the growth of Tirupur, Naidu said the knitwear hub has emerged from Rs 15 crore turnover in 1980s to Rs 18,000 crore now. "Tirupur is a place of happening and this is no ordinary achievement," he said.

Assuring Centre's support in the growth and development of the knitwear cluster, he said, "it is the duty of the State and Centre to come together to tap the native potential."