The Union Minister for Textiles, Smt. Smriti Zubin Irani
At present, there are 132 cotton and man-made fibre textile mills (Non- SSI) of which only 22 cotton and man-made fibre textile mills (Non-SSI) are closed in the last 30 years due to financial problems and market condition. In order to achieve growth, modernization, value addition, increase in exports and for the overall development of the textile sector in the country, the Government has been implementing various policy initiatives and schemes like:
Special Package for Textile and Apparel sector: Rs 6000 crores package was launched in June 2016 to boost employment and export potential in the apparel and made up segments. This package consists of Remission of State Levies for garmenting and made-ups; additional production and employment linked subsidy of 10% under ATUFS for garmenting, assistance for the entire 12% employers’ contribution towards EPF, fixed term employment in garmenting, increasing overtime caps, and income tax concessions under section 80JJAA for the garmenting sector. Enhancement of rates under Merchandise Exports from India Scheme (MEIS): To further boost exports of apparel & made-up sectors, interest rates under Merchandise Exports from India Scheme (MEIS) has been enhanced from 2% to 4% in Nov 2017. Power Tex India: A comprehensive scheme for powerloom sector was launched in April, 2017 with an outlay of Rs. 487 crores for three years. This scheme has components relating to loom upgradation; infrastructure creation and concessional access to credit. The scheme has been designed to attract investment of Rs. 1000 crores and employment to 10000 persons in power-loom sector and will also result in higher returns to power-loom units. Amended Technology Upgradation Fund Scheme (ATUFS): The amended Scheme was launched in January 2016 with an outlay of Rs 17822 Crores. The scheme has been designed to mobilize new investment of about Rs 95 000 crore and employment for 35 lakh persons by the year 2022. SAMARTH- Scheme for Capacity Building in Textile Sector (SCBTS): A new scheme with an outlay of Rs 1300 crores has been approved recently in December, 2017 for providing employment oriented training to 10 lakh people in various segments in textiles including one lakh in traditional sectors, by March, 2020.
National Handloom Development Programme (NHDP) and National Handicrafts Development Programme (NHDP): These programmes aim at holistic development of
handloom and handicrafts clusters through integrated approach. The strategic interventions under the programme include financial assistance for new upgraded looms and tool kits, design development, training, easy access to working capital through customized Mudra loan for weavers and artisans and direct marketing support to the weavers and artisans through expos, fair, buyer seller meet and e commerce.
Subsidy on Cotton plucking Machines
The Cotton Corporation of India (CCI) provides 100 per cent subsidy on 300 plucking machines. It had distributed 300 hand operated Kapas Plucker Machines to the cotton farmers in three major cotton growing states of Telangana, Gujarat and Maharashtra and is promoting the usage of these machines among cotton farmers through awareness meetings and print media for helping them in reducing the cost of cultivation of cotton. The beneficiary farmers were selected through baseline surveys by officials of Agricultural Produce Market Committee (APMC), Directorate of Agriculture, State Agricultural Universities and village panchayats for identification of the area, village and cluster of villages.
Setting Up of CETPs
Government is implementing the Integrated Processing Development Scheme (IPDS) for enabling the textile processing sector to meet environmental standards through adoption of appropriate technology, specifically in the area of water and waste water management. The Government has sanctioned 6 projects under the IPDS for setting up Common Effluent Treatment plants ( CETPs) with Zero Liquid Discharge (ZLD) systems in the state of Rajasthan and Tamil Nadu. This information was given by the Minister of State of Textiles, Ajay Tamta
Low Rate of Silk Cocoons
There has been fall in mulberry cocoon prices during 2018-19 compared to the prices prevailing in the previous year. The average cocoon prices decreased by 21% with respect to bivoltine cocoons and 24% in crossbreed cocoons during AprilOctober 2018 compared to the same period during last year. There was a declining trend in cocoon prices during April18 to July 18. However, the prices started to recover from August month onwards. In contrast to prices, the cocoon arrivals have increased significantly during April to October 2018 compared to the same period during the previous year for both bivoltine and cross breed cocoons.
The major reasons for fall in cocoon prices are increase in arrival of cocoons to the market. As cocoon marketing is a state subject, the state governments have been providing various support measures to farmers including price incentives for cocoons. The Government of India through Central Silk Board is implementing a Central Sector Scheme - Silk Samagra to provide technical and technological support in the country including Karnataka State. The Silk Samagra scheme comprises the following four components:
1. Research & Development, Training, Transfer of Technology and I.T. Initiatives
Seed Organizations Coordination and Market Development, and
Quality Certification Systems (QCS) / Export Brand Promotion and Technology Up-gradation. Under this scheme, assistance and subsidy is extended to silk farmers and stakeholders through states for raising of kisan nursery, plantation with improved mulberry varieties, irrigation, chawki rearing centres with incubation facility, construction of rearing houses, rearing equipment, door-to- door service agents for disinfection and input supply, support for improved reeling units like
automatic reeling units, multi-end reeling machines, improved Vanya reeling & twisting machines and support for post yarn facilities for quality silk and fabric production. Support provided under these interventions and areas would enable the silk farmers and stake holders to get reasonable price for their produce.
Reach out to the MSME players in textiles sector, ensure that they know of 12-point package announced by the PM: Union Textiles Minister
The Union Minister for Textiles, Smt. Smriti Zubin Irani has exhorted Cotton Textiles Export Promotion Council (TEXPROCIL) to reach out to the MSME players in the sector who constitute 35% of the Council's membership, so that they know that banking institutions have been given a mere 59 minutes to give in-principle approval for loans to small traders and organizations. She expressed the hope that TEXPROCIL will play an important role in giving suggestions in cotton textile environment, as regards the 6,000 crore rupees package announced by the Prime Minister yesterday, for technology upgradation in MSME sector. The Minister was speaking at the presentation of Export Awards 2017 – 18 of the Council, in Mumbai today.
She said that as the Prime Minister has reiterated time and again, the textile industry is an inclusive industry, one that takes the journey forward from farm to fabric to fashion to foreign. She said that the Government's decision to increase the price of fair average quality grade cotton seed in this cotton season by 28% shows its commitment to facilitate the cotton sector from farm onwards to exports. Smt. Irani said that Indian industry has been known as the harbinger of change and technology innovation. Stating that the Export Awards are a celebration of excellence, growth and innovation, the Minister congratulated the Council for celebrating people as well, by instituting the award for organizations generating the highest employment. She said that while the sector employs 50 million people, it also uniquely benefits close to 6 million farmers across the nation. She said that the awards are a celebration also of the contribution of the Indian farmer.
Expressing joy at the 26% growth of cotton textiles this year, the Minister stated that this also sets a benchmark to double the growth next year, despite domestic and international challenges. She said that TEXPROCIL has grown in both conventional and unconventional markets and has propagated growth not only for the big players, but also for the SME participants. This should be a source of inspiration for other EPCs too, said the Minister. Smt. Irani said that the Government engages in constant conversations with farmers and industry at large, through institutions such as Cotton Corporation of India, besides enlisting participation of bodies such as TEXPROCIL.
The annual Awards are a recognition of the role played by exporters. Fifty six awards in thirty two categories, including the coveted Platinum trophy for the highest global exports, were given this year. The Minister gave away awards for excellence in exports of yarns, fabrics and home textiles as well as the newly instituted Award for highest employment generation. She said that the Ministry will work shoulder to shoulder with TEXPROCIL in ensuring its goals. She also congratulated the award winners for their wonderful performance.
Chairman, TEXPROCIL, Shri Ujwal Lahoti; Vice Chairman, TEXPROCIL, Dr. K. V. Srinivasan and prominent members of the industry attended the event. The award presentation ceremony was followed by a vibrant cultural performance.