Vaghela urges powerloom sector to modernise in a big way

New Delhi, Jul 24 (UNI) Union Textiles Minister Shankersinh Vaghela toady urged the powerloom sector to take up the modernisation in a big way to meet the fabric need of the country's garment sector.

Presiding over a meeting of All India Powerloom Board here, Mr Vaghela exhorted the powerloom sector to come forward for large-scale modernisation so that the fabric need for the garment sector could be fulfilled and this way they can help in import substitution.

He also stressed to increase the growth of powerloom sector from 10 to 14 per cent so that this sector could achieve a level of 26 Billion sq mtr additional fabric production by 2010.

The present level of fabric production by the powerloom sector is 29 Billion sq mtr which is about 62 per cent of the total fabric produced in the country during 2005-2006.

For the last two years, the sector is modernising with the help of central assistance under Technology Upgradation Fund Scheme (TUFS). Central Government disbursed Rs 6 crore subsidy during 2004-05 which has gone up by Rs 23 crore during 2005-2006 and likewise this year the progress will be more than three times the previous year.

The Minister has also urged the State Governments to give certain concessions to powerloom sector particularly the tariff concession in electricity and quality of power should also be improved for the powerloom sector.

Mr Vaghela directed his Ministry to chalk-out a comprehensive programme so that there should be no shortage of trained persons in the sector.

Textiles Secretary D P Singh in his address talked about comprehensive measures taken for the benefit of powerloom sector like Technology Upgradation Fund and Human Resource Development programmes.

Mr Singh asked Textile Commissioner to formulate new schemes to be incorporated in Eleventh Five Year Plan and said approach for the Eleventh Five Year Plan should also cover powerloom sector in a holistic manner.

He stressed the need for cooperation of the State Governments and their agencies to shortlist the institutions or agencies in the textile sector for imparting training.

It was decided during the meeting that textile education and training of persons for the industry should have a dynamic curriculam and syllabus.

The Secretary also requested the State Governments to send their suggestions for incorporating in the Eleventh Five Year Plan urgently for the betterment of powerloom sector.

Textile Commissioner presented the status and problems of powerloom sector and also presented the strategy and approach to solve the problems of the powerloom sector in a comprehensive manner to the All India Powerloom Board.

The meeting was attended by the representatives of powerloom sector and Secretary Incharges of Textiles of Tamil Nadu, Punjab, Karnataka, Gujarat and Rajasthan.

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