‘INDIAN TEXTILES NEED VALUE CHAINS TO COME TOGETHER’
SMRITI IRANI sure knows how to shake things up. From hashtags like #iwearhandloom to the successful three-day Textiles India 2017, from getting designers to adopt textile clusters to resuscitating defunct weaving service centres, Smriti Irani found her niche as the Union minister for textiles. Now, she has got additional charge of the information & broadcasting ministry. In an interview with CHINKI SINHA, she spoke about her plans to make India a global sourcing hub for textiles. Excerpts
Q. What’s next after Textiles India 2017? How do you plan to promote and brand textiles? A. Indian textiles are already a brand unto themselves. What’s next is the national textiles policy. Wide-ranging consultations with domestic and foreign experts, industry participation, including with weavers and artisans, and active inputs from the states will be the hallmark of this. We did Rs 2,200 crore worth of business in two-and-a-half days at Textiles India. There is a huge potential if the value chain comes together in one place.
Q. What about R&D efforts in textiles, particularly handloom? What next for the weaver service centres (WSCs)? A. Textiles India 2017 was witness to our big thrust in textile R&D. There were roundtable discussions, including inter-ministerial dialogues. It has helped the industry engage with foreign experts on issues, ranging from how textiles units can ensure zero negative effect to the environment (due to effluent discharge) to ensuring cost-effective, sustainably developed products. As for the WSCs, we want them to serve every interest of the weavers. We ensure that they receive information regarding banking and financial institutions and programmes; help them avail benefits of the Mudra Yojana and facilitate the learning of soft skills like spoken English. It will also serve as an interface with renowned designers so that they can make design and presentation skills better. We will financially support them to help participate in national and international fairs and also help them engage with e-commerce sites so that they can sell their wares directly to customers.
Q. What are you doing different in the ministry today?
A. In the UPA era, of the 42 schemes in the textiles ministry, close to 21 fully funded schemes were surrendered without a penny spent, irrespective of budgetary announcements for the textiles industry. In the NDA government, we have not only ensured full utilisation of budgets but also made sure that weavers, artisans and industry now get benefits through DBT (direct benefit transfer). Capital subsidy through schemes like the Amended Technology Upgradation Fund Scheme (ATUFS) is now fully digitised. After the last handloom census in 2009-10, the UPA government knew that only 1 per cent of the relatives of weaver and artisans were receiving higher education. But it chose to do nothing. The ministry of textiles now contributes 75 per cent of the school fee of weavers’ and artisans’ children.
Q. What kind of partnerships are you looking at now?
A. By converging our efforts with the agriculture ministry, we are trying to create knowledge systems with the support of academia to ensure enhanced productivity of natural fibres and product diversification. We are also creating a synergy group with the petrochemicals ministry to understand and implement solutions for the MMF (man-made fibre) sector. The effort to engage established designers with the handloom sector has been beneficial, and the same concept is being explored for artisans too. Q. Any plans for the denim sector? What about khadi? A. Khadi is under the administrative purview of the MSME (micro, small & medium enterprises) ministry and is doing well. There has been a surge in the sale of khadi products after Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s call to support the sector. As far as denim is concerned, being a cotton byproduct, we have had many interactions with the industry to enhance production capacities. This has received a tremendous boost after the announcement of a package of Rs 6,000 crore for apparel and made-ups.
Q. Is there a special focus on the northeast?
A. The prime minister had announced the setting up of apparel manufacturing units in all northeastern states in 2015. All the states, except Sikkim, now have functional units. Sikkim will have one by next month. The establishment of the India Handloom brand and designation of August 7 as National Handloom Day indicate the potential of the handloom industry as envisaged by the government. We celebrate National Handloom Day in Assam this year. Handloom is a legacy, a craft which involves close to four million weavers in the country. They have to decide how they would like to position their wares in the domestic and global markets. We in the government will support their vision to the best of our abilities.