Varanasi will soon have the new campus of National Institute of Fashion Technology (NIFT), as the UP Government has agreed to allot 25 acres of land. As decided in 2016, Varanasi has been waiting for a dedicated area to start a new campus.
The State Government has approved the land through the Industrial Development department. Currently, NIFT has 16 campuses across the country, while the 17th campus is underway in Panchkula, Haryana. Varanasi is likely to be the 18th campus which will be set up in a couple of years. CM Yogi Adityanath has written to Union Textile Minister Smriti Irani promising 25 acres of land for the institute. According to the officials, the new campus in Varanasi will be a full-fledged centre offering courses in fashion technology, communication, management, leather design, knitwear design, among others.
“Eastern India has been well known for the silk sarees produced by local artisans. A large population of skilled artisans in nearby districts such as Mubarakpur are involved in the business of silk and handloom sarees,” said Naveen Sehgal, Principal Secretary, Khadi, Textile and Silk Industries. “While the new campus is for students interested in fashion designing, we are also planning workshops and short courses for local artisans to make them aware of marketing their products and improve the production capacity,” he added. In the States that have NIFT campus, the land was allotted by the State Government, which was followed by investment for construction and infrastructure by the institute. Varanasi campus is planning to follow the same pattern.
