...
Indian Textiles sector recorded significant recovery in spite of the global financial crisis, inflationary trends and volatility in commodity prices, which led to build up of strong demand side pressures. The Ministry of Textiles initiated policies for faster and inclusive growth and participatory development. The objective was to maintain the incipient export growth momentum, increasing production and productivity in cotton and cotton yarn, enhancing value addition in garment and apparel sectors, promoting rich heritage of handlooms and handicrafts, institutional strengthening in jute sector, and enhanced acreages under mulberry production and safeguarding employment opportunities. In addition, the Ministry of Textiles tried its best to utilize the better growth prospects of Indian economy for attracting larger capital flows/ foreign direct investment. This was stated by Thiru. Dayanidhi Maran, Union Minister of Textiles, while addressing the media persons here today.
Major Achievements 2009-10:
Ø Technology Up gradation Fund Scheme (TUFS):
For the first time, in a major stimulus to the industry, a subsidy of Rs 2,546 crore was released on August 06, 2009, in a single tranche, with the amount credited to the bank accounts of 12.514 beneficiaries in a record time of 72 hours (3 working days) reconstituting an effective addition to the stimulus packages announced by the Government. During 2009-10, Rs. 2,885.98 crore was disbursed as subsidy under TUFS.
Ø National Fibre Policy:
The draft fibre policy has been finalized by the Working Group constituted by the Ministry and has been put up in public domain yesterday for wider consultation .
Ø Common Effluent Treatment Plant (CETP):
The Ministry of Finance accepted the recommendation of Ministry of Textiles to provide one time grant of Rs. 200 crore to 20 CETPs installed by dyeing units in Tirupur to ensure zero liquid discharge.
Ø Marketing Initiatives:
Niche handloom and handicraft products were provided a marketing platform through 561 marketing events; the first year ‘Handloom Week’ in December 2009; and the Handloom Mark Scheme. These generated a business of over Rs. 350 crore.
Ø Cotton Sales Depots:
Two Cotton Sales Depots at Coimbatore and Rajapalayam in Tamil Nadu were inaugurated on February 08, 2010.
Ø National Textile Corporation:
NTC has modernized 18 mills. Of these, 4 mills in Coimbatore (Tamil Nadu) and 3 mills in Mumbai were inaugurated and are already in production.
Ø Scheme for Integrated Textile Parks (SITP):
90% Government grants have been released for 17 parks; Infrastructure Development has completed in 5 parks and production has commenced in 17 Parks out of the 40 parks under implementation in Public Private Partnership mode.
Ø Skill Development:
An ambitious Skill Development Mission, formulated to train 30 lakh workers over a period of five years, was announced by the Finance Minister in the Budget Speech of 2010-11. The proposed outlay is Rs. 2,200 crore.
Ø Export Promotion:
Despite the global slowdown, share of India’s textile exports in total exports increased to 12.05% from 10.82% in 2008-09. In a ‘Look East Policy’, new markets have been tapped to promote exports, besides consolidating existing markets like EU and US. As part of the initiatives, mega textile shows have been held to capture new markets in Japan, South Asia, Australia, Latin America and South Africa.
Ø Mega Cluster Scheme:
To make decentralized activities in powerloom, handloom and handicraft sectors a viable business proposition, five new mega clusters have been taken up in Bhilwara, Mirzapur Bhadohi, Srinagar, Virudhunagar and Murshidabad. Work has commenced at mega clusters in Varanasi, Sibsagar, Bhiwandi, Erode, Nasapur and Moradabad.
Ø Plan Expenditure:
From a total plan allocation of Rs. 4,500 crore, the Ministry has utilized 99.98% of plan funds, with 42.71% of the allocation of funds for the north-east region utilized.
More details regarding important initiatives are available in the booklet ‘Milestones 2009-10’ circulated and are also accessible on the website: www.texmin.nic.in
Thiru. Maran said that, as a part of agenda for the future, his Ministry will devise and implement a multi-disciplinary strategy to meet the following objectives:
(i) To Ensure fibre security for Indian Textiles Industry through modern agricultural tools (JTM, IWIDP and CDP) and to ensure remunerative higher returns to the farming community as well as provision for international standard fibres for downstream segments of Textiles at globally competitive prices including that of cotton.
(ii) Foster regime for modernization and consolidation of powerloom sector through integrated project of automation as well as provisioning of linkages for supply raw-material and quality out put procurement in more than 5.00 lakh decentralized units.
(iii) Market expansion and product diversification of Indian Textile products through new centres in domestic markets as well as major global markets by way of expanding the reach of Indian products to new markets.
(iv) Promotion of green technology will remain high on the Agenda of the Government to provide for assistance to set up Common Effluent Treatment Plants in existing as well as new textiles clusters.
(v) Qualitative out put support system for environmental and social compliance would be supported by the Government to ensure higher value realization along with expansion of markets all across the world.
(vi) Government would initiate steps to promote Research and Development in textiles sector through integration of laboratory to industry in association with private sector.
(vii) Government would accelerate the process of decentralization of existing textiles clusters by way of promoting clusters infrastructure in rural hinter land to take advantage of available man-power, to decongest the existing clusters to avail the newly created rural infrastructure; harness higher rural purchasing power and to reduce the cost of production.
(viii) Government would lay special emphasis on promotion of man made fibre products to increase India’s global market share through technological, financial and market support.
(ix) Continue with modernization and the technological up gradation of different segments of textile industry; seek to reorient the focus of Technology Up gradation Fund Scheme (TUFS) on weaving, knitting and processing segments.
(x) Create a textiles-specific infrastructure by establishing additional Integrated Textiles Parks.
(xi) Boost investment in non-woven and technical textiles.
(xii) Continue with and stabilize the process of fiscal reform and enable the textile industry to increase the volume of exports and upscale its product mix.
(xiii) Accelerate the process of modernization and rehabilitation of PSEs.
(xiv) Provide marketing platform to weavers and artisans.
(xv) Vigorously implement the schemes for the welfare and up gradation of skills of handloom workers and handicraft artisans.
3/-
(xvi) Initiate the process to turn National Textile Corporation (NTC) from a spinning company to an integrated textiles company.
(xvii) Accelerate measures to attract Foreign Direct Investment (FDI), particularly in the textiles machinery and in garmenting, synthetic and technical textiles segments.
The Textiles Minister further said that as a result of specific and targeted initiatives in the coming year this Ministry will successfully tackle the issues of employment generation and maximize the welfare of common stakeholders in the textiles industry such as weavers, cotton farmers, jute farmers, cocoon rearers, shepherds, mill workers, power loom workers, artisans, traders, designers and exporters.
On the occasion ,Thiru. Dayanidhi Maran also launched two websites and an e-book "Handmade in India" in the presence of Tmt. Panabaaka Lakshmi, Minister of State for Textiles, Tmt. Rita Menon, Secretary (Textiles) and senior officers of the Ministry.
The website http://craftsclustersofindia.in depicts about 25,000 products developed in craft clusters assisted by the Ministry of Textiles through its flagship scheme Baba Saheb Ambedkar Hastshilp Vikas Yojana. This site showcases products of 550 clusters of the entire country. Another website http://themecrafts.in , represents more than 21,000 products symbolizes the 5 theme crafts namely needle craft, natural fibre craft, tribal craft, festive decoration and fashion accessories. At present, it has details of more than 4300 business entities and is also available in 7 International languages other than English and Hindi. This portal will be scaled up to 45,000 products and 9,000 entities.
The availability of choicest and exquisite craft products representing the entire country's rich cultural heritage would enable B2B and B2C connectivity across the country and in different global markets since the products have been catalogued with complete specifications and details of the producer groups.
The Textiles Minister also launched the electronic version of "Handmade in India", which is lucid compilation of craft styles of different locations of the country captured in an impressive and imaginative manner enabling the visitor to the site, a first hand feel about the crafts. This compilation is also available in 11 regional languages of the country apart from English through the website www.handicrafts.nic.in
RM/JL
09 June, 2010 by admin