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Post
independence, growth of Indian textiles Industry
has been a case of missed opportunities, misplaced
priorities and inability to recognize the tremendous
potential it has in generating exports and employment.
However, India has all the ingredients for the
development and growth of a vibrant textiles industry
and the industry has progressed despite multiple
constraints and bottlenecks. In the global context,
India offers comparative advantage in textiles
and apparel sector with excellent raw material
base, skilled manpower and cost competitiveness.
It accounts for a quarter of the country’s
exports at 14 billion dollars in the fiscal 2004-05
and the size of the current textile industry is
estimated to be about 40 billion dollars.
He
discussed the present trends in all the segments
of the industry. Touching upon the decentralized
nature of the industry he said that production
and processing of fabrics in India is highly fragmented
and de-centralized. Hosiery and power looms sectors
taken together now contribute 82% of cloth production
in the country, Handloom sector is 13%, Khadi
is 2% and mill sector an unfortunate 3%. On the
apparel front, there are nearly 16,249 garment
exporters in India. Bulk of the manufacturing
is concentrated in small and tiny units numbering
about 77,000. Super efficient mega mass production
units are waiting to happen, pending labour law
reforms.
In
his Inaugural Address, Mr. Shankersinh Vaghela,
Union Minister of Textiles said it is right time
to take stock of the emerging global trend after
the elimination of quotas. The Asian Textile Industry
has many advantages, which if harnessed effectively
can enable it to withstand global competition.
Factor endowments like strong raw material base,
an expanding manmade fibre industry and a large
pool of technical and managerial manpower with
infusion of new funds can bring back the buoyancy.
He
assured continued interaction with all stakeholders
so as to institutionalize the inter-relationship
between trades, export promotion bodies and the
various departments responsible for operating
export promotion schemes and facilitation services.
He touched upon the need for labour reforms, technology
upgradation and industry’s demand for extending
the TUFS scheme from 2007. He elaborated upon
the new Integrated Textile Parks scheme, which
encompasses the earlier two schemes - Apparel
Park and TCIDS. Within a year and half 25 Apparel
Parks are slated to come up in various states.
Dr.
Rajaram Jaipuria, Past Chairman, CITI and Chairman,
Ginni Filaments proposed the Vote of Thanks.
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