Kangra (Himachal Pradesh), Aug 5 - The National Institute of Fashion Technology (NIFT) branch in Himachal Pradesh's Kangra district will award doctorate degrees in fashion designing, Union Minister of Textiles Thiru Dayanidhi Maran said here Wednesday.

'Kangra's Centre for Apparel and Textile Studies would be first of its own kind in the country to offer doctorate degrees in fashion designing, fashion communication, accessory design, textile design and fashion technology,' Maran told reporters while inaugurating the NIFT branch at Chheb village near this town.

On setting up more NIFT branches in the country, Maran said: 'The central government is considering to set up centres in Punjab, Rajasthan, Jammu and Kashmir, Jharkhand and Chhattisgarh.'

The NIFT has already reached agreements with 29 leading fashion institutes of the world under which students and faculty would visit various countries to study new fashion trends, he said.

'NIFT is also considering a proposal to publish fashion textbooks for the first time in the country and reputed publishing houses have shown keen interest in this regard.