policy initiatives - Textile Magazine

policy initiatives
New textile parks will provide
four lakh additional jobs
The Union Minister of
Commerce, Industry and
Textiles, Mr. Anand Sharma,
has exhorted the textiles
industry to improve
its competitiveness at the
global stage.
Mr. Anand Sharma, Union Minister of Commerce, Industry and Textiles
Speaking at the Parliamentary
Consultative Committee on Textiles,
Mr. Sharma said: “Besides
nurturing what we have, it is essential
to remain globally competitive.
Increasing employability and staying
competitive are the key objective
for us.”
The committee discussed the Integrated
Skill Development Scheme
(ISDS) and the Scheme for Integrated
Textiles Parks (SITP).
The Minister informed the members
that the Indian textiles industry
has an overwhelming presence in
the economic life of the country. The
sector contributes 14 per cent of industrial
production, four per cent of
GDP and 10.63 per cent of the country’s
export earnings. It provides direct
employment to over 35 million
people, which includes a substantial
number of SC/ST and women. The
sector is the second largest provider
of employment after agriculture.
Allocation for textiles under the
11th Plan was Rs. 14,000 crores,
which was enhanced by Rs. 5,000
crores to Rs. 19,000 crores. The
Government has formulated the
National Fibre Policy to provide a
holistic boost to the development of
the sector.
On the Integrated Skill Development
Scheme (ISDS), the Minister
explained that the focus is on creation
of a large variety of skills, from
basic to specialized, to meet the
needs of the industry. Textiles, being
the second largest employment
8 | The Textile Magazine jANUARY 2012