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Chandigarh: In a significant boost to Punjab’s globally renowned sports goods industry, the Union Ministry of Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSME) has approved the establishment of a Technology Extension Centre (TEC) at Jalandhar, strengthening the state’s MSME ecosystem and export competitiveness.
The approval follows a meeting between Punjab Cabinet Minister for Industries & Commerce, Investment Promotion and NRI Affairs Sanjeev Arora and Union MSME Minister Jitan Ram Manjhi in New Delhi on July 21, 2025, during which Arora sought urgent intervention to address long-pending infrastructure and technology gaps in Punjab’s sports goods cluster.
During the meeting, Arora underlined that Jalandhar’s sports goods industry—one of India’s largest manufacturing and export hubs—has vast untapped export potential but continues to face challenges related to technology upgradation, product development, testing facilities and compliance with stringent international quality standards. He pressed for early approval of a Technology Extension Centre under the Process cum Product Development Centre (PPDC), Meerut, noting that the proposal had remained pending for over eight months despite the Punjab Government having already provided the required infrastructure.
Acting on the request, the Ministry of MSME issued an official communication on December 18, 2025, through Principal Director Aditya Prakash Sharma, calling for the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) and execution of a lease deed to operationalise the centre. The TEC has been approved under the Hub-and-Spoke Model, with mentoring support from the Process cum Product Development Centre, Meerut.
The MoU is to be signed on January 5, 2026, at Jalandhar.
As per the approved plan, a built-up area of 11,166 square feet, spread across the ground, first and second floors of the Government Institute of Leather and Footwear Technology, Jalandhar, has been earmarked for the Technology Extension Centre. The facility will offer advanced services, including product and process development, technology transfer, testing and certification support, skill development, and hand-holding for MSMEs, with a special focus on sports goods and allied manufacturing sectors.
Welcoming the decision, Sanjeev Arora thanked the Union MSME Minister for the timely clearance. He said the Technology Extension Centre would be a game-changer for Punjab’s sports goods industry, helping local manufacturers upgrade technology, raise quality standards, foster innovation, and significantly boost exports.
He reiterated that the Punjab Government would extend full support to ensure the centre becomes operational at the earliest. The development, he said, reflects strong Centre–State coordination aimed at strengthening MSMEs, promoting innovation-led growth and reinforcing Punjab’s position as a leading manufacturing and export hub in the sports goods sector.
