The South India Hosiery Manufacturers Association (SIHMA) has urged the centre to set up the proposed Knitwear Board in Tirupur.

Since around 46 per cent of the knitwear exported from India originates from Tirupur knitwear cluster, it will be appropriate to make Tirupur the headquarters for the proposed board, SIHMA joint secretary R Damodaran said.

With having the head office in Tirupur, apparel manufacturers would not have to travel to New Delhi frequently for representing the issues confronting the knitwear industry, Damodaran said.

Besides appointment of a chairman to look into the day-to-day operations of the Board, the government should also appoint a bureaucrat to liaison with the union government, knitwear manufacturers feel.

The issue was also taken up in the Parliament by Tirupur MP V Sathyabama.