India’s textile minister positive for future of sector
14/06/2016
Mr Gangwar said that 15% of India’s exports now come from the textiles industry with textile exports increasing 8% and apparel and handicraft exports rising 22% in the last two years when compared to figures from the previous two-year period. He added that the ministry of textiles has spent more than Rs 6,500 crore ($9.67billion) over the past two years of projects and schemes to improve the textiles sector, creating approximately 500,000 jobs in the sector.
The 24 new textile parks sanctioned by the government under the Scheme for Integrated Textile Parks could create employment for a further 66,000 people, according to Mr Gangwar. The Amended Technology Upgradation Fund Scheme (ATUFS), which began in January 2016, will also generate employment opportunities, he said.
On a more specific basis, he highlighted the initiatives taken to revive the country’s handloom sector, which including increasing the income of weavers and attracting young people to take up the profession. Mr Gangwar also emphasised the ministry’s commitment to helping cotton growers, pointing to the largest ever planned Minimum Support Price (MSP) operation, which was carried out by the Cotton Corporation of India (CCI).
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