The weaving industry can rest assured of getting a big face-lift if the hints thrown by the Textile Commissioner, Mr. A.B. Joshi, in his address at the just-concluded India-ITME 2012 in Mumbai are anything to go by. He reiterated the policy thrust on the weaving sector by stating that while the 11th Plan focused on the processing sector which was then considered a weak link in the textile chain, the 12th Plan has envisaged a bigger role for the hitheto neglected weaving sector, as well reflected in the Plan allocation of over Rs. 12,000 crores under the Technology Upgradation Fund Scheme (TUFS) for the five-year period.
While it is proposed to have cap on funds allocation under the scheme for spinning, the other segments, particularly weaving, won’t have such restrictions. Besides providing special reliefs like subsidy and interest subvention, the policies to be pursued by different State Governments would be in accord with the general guidelines to be worked out by the Centre in a couple of months towards promoting the growth of the weaving sector.
Weaving has traditionally been one of the promising sectors with huge job opportunities, currently employing 12.5 million persons. Weaving products constitute four per cent of GDP. Abundant raw material supply and availability of cheap labour have all along been the main source of strength for the industry. The real trouble started with the ban imposed in mid-1990s on import of Chinese silk yarn. Since the local varieties available are poor both in terms of quality and quantity, weavers resorted to smuggling of Chinese silk yarn. Trade liberalisation and economic reforms that followed further aggravated the situation. Lack of innovation, high power tariffs, frequent power shortages, archaic labour laws, outdated technology and the much reduced number of shuttleless looms are the major production constraints faced by the weaving industry that still remains unorganised.
The vigorous export drive launched by the Textile Ministry by exploring new markets in Africa, Latin America and Central Asia and the special focus on technical textiles would augur well for the weaving sector. The textile export target of $80 billion by 2020 would ensure a higher share for weaving products in overseas sales. Besides, the waiver of overdue loans in the handloom sector that benefited three lakh weavers, the integrated textile parks being set up and the proposed special centres of excellence for R&D would substantially improve the fortunes of the weaver community as a whole.