35 million additional jobs creation certain
Mr. Santosh Kumar Gangwar, Minister of State for Textiles, recently received the draft Vision, Strategy & Action Plan for Indian Textiles & Apparels presented by Mr. Ajay Shankar, Chairman, Expert Committee, and Member-Secretary, National Manufacturing Competitiveness Council (NMCC).
Keeping in view the various changes in the textile industry on the domestic and international fronts and the need for a road map for the textile & apparel industry, the Ministry of Textiles had initiated the process of reviewing the National Textile Policy 2000. Accordingly, an expert committee was set up to make fresh recommendations for the textile sector revival. The draft Vision, Strategy and Action Plan has been submitted after a detailed process of stakeholder consultations across the entire value chain.
Considering the recommendations and feedback received at different consultation meetings, the committee identified basic concerns in the textiles sector and identified the national priorities in the form of a Vision & Strategy and the Action Plan for attaining the targets set for 2024-25.
The Vision projects Indian textile and apparel exports to grow from $39 billion at present to $300 billion by 2024-25. This translates into additional investment required of the order of $120 billion, and in the process around 35 million additional jobs creation is expected to take place.
The draft Vision, Strategy & Action Plan for Indian Textiles & Apparels (2024) will be put up on the website of the Ministry for inviting online comments/suggestions. It will also be discussed at the forthcoming meeting of the State Textiles Ministers.
After receipt of feedback, the plan will be finalised for seeking Cabinet approval and then its adoption.
$17.2 billion export target for readymade garments this year
The Government has fixed an export target of $17.2 billion for readymade garments during 2014-2015.
The Scheme for Integrated Textile Parks (SITP) was launched in 2005 to encourage private investments and employment generation in the textile sector by facilitating world class infrastructure for common facilities, such as roads, water supply treatment and distribution network, power generation and distribution network, effluent collection treatment and disposal system, design centre, warehouse, first aid centre, etc.
The textile parks are at different stages of implementation. Fourteen of the first 40 parks have been completed and 13 parks are operational. Investment in parks till date is Rs. 5,025 crores with direct employment of 47,167.
Sixteen textile parks were sanctioned in the 11th Five-Year Plan, of which 11 textile parks have become functional. Five textile parks were sanctioned in the 11th Plan for Maharashtra, of which four are functional now.