Textile Minister’s stress on skill development, job opportunities
The Minister of Textiles, Dr. Kavuru Sambasiva Rao, who inaugurated the Golden Jubilee Year of the Textiles Committee in Mumbai on October 11, lauded the rich contribution made by the Committee for the growth and expansion of the textile industry in the country over the last 50 years.
Appreciating its expanding role in the industry development, the Minister urged it to concentrate more on areas like skill development for providing quality manpower to the industry, besides generating employment opportunities. Development of this sector as well as the economy is possible only when organisations like the Textiles Committee undertake more and more research and development in the areas of new products, technology and testing facilities. An appropriate strategy towards mitigating the ill-effects of globalisation for capitalising on the benefits is also essential.
On the occasion, Dr. Rao released a coffee table book “A Journey of Growth through Transformation & Commitment”, and special postal envelope and publications titled “Market Intelligence in Textiles” and “Exquisite Handwovens of Kerala”.
The Minister made it clear that India can excel in research and development only if the people having expertise are adequately compensated through productivity-linked incentives. It not only motivates researchers already in service but also attracts young talents to do research. The Textiles Committee should necessarily devise an appropriate strategy to motivate researchers working in this area through appropriate means and submit it to the Ministry for adequate action, he added.
Among those who spoke on the occasion were Ms. Panabaaaka Lakshmi, Minister of State for Textiles, Petroleum and Natural Gas, Ms. Zohra Chatterji, Secretary (Textiles), Mr. S.P. Oswal, Chairman, Textiles Committee, and Mr. A.B. Joshi, Textile Commissioner & Vice-Chairman, Textiles Committee.
Ms. Panabaaka Lakshmi, in her address, recounted the contributions made by the Textiles Committee in the areas of quality and compliance, market analysis and appropriate testing services to the industry. Its contribution in terms of Handloom Mark implementation and Total Quality Management, star rating of ginning and pressing factories in the country is remarkable indeed.
She also launched the re-designed websites of the Textiles Committee, Laboratory Management Information System (LIMS) and the Star Rating of Ginning & Pressing Factories.
Ms. Zohra Chatterji, in her keynote address, extolled the contribution of the Textiles Committee for the growth of cotton textiles in the early years of development and to the industry as a whole in the recent years.
On the occasion, the Committee felicitated Mr. B.C. Khatua and Mr. Subodh Kumar, former Textile Commissioners & Vice-Chairmen, Textiles Committee, and Mr. R.C.M. Reddy and Mr. Pradeep Gupta, former Secretaries, Textiles Committee, for their remarkable contributions for the organisation’s growth.
Earlier, welcoming the gathering, Mr. Oswal said that the Textiles Committee has over the years transformed itself from being a regulatory agency to a facilitator of growth. The transformation is an important achievement for the organisation. In the areas of market intelligence in textiles and economic research, the Committee has been providing all-round support to the textiles & clothing industry.
Dr. P. Nayak, Secretary, Textiles Committee, proposed a vote of thanks.