'Centre planning to boost textile exports'

Chennai, Jan 9: The Union Government is planning to boost the export of textiles to the tune of Rs 10 billion US dollars by 2010, as against the existing annual export of one fourth of this target, Union Minister of State for Textiles E V K S Elangovan said today.

In an informal chat with newspersons here on the sidelines of inaugurating a week-long jute exhibition, Mr Elangovan said the five-year Technology Upgradation Fund (TUF) launched in 2003, would come to an end this year.

As TUF had evoked overwhelmng response, the textile industry wanted further extention of the scheme and the government was considering it, he added.

He said the Centre as well as the Tamil Nadu Government would consider the expert's suggestion for letting out treated effluent water from the Tirupur dyeing and bleaching units in the sea by setting up an exclusive pipeline to find a permanent solution to the effluent problem.

The Government had also fixed a target of jute products export at Rs 5000 crore by 2010, as against the present annual export of Rs 1,000 crore, he said and hoped that the target would be achieved.

The jute, once popular in West Bengal and its surroundings had now spread all over Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka.

The jute oriented products were now getting momentum among the women self-help groups, he added.

He said the Union Government was going to establish five textile parks, including one at Cuddalore, Palladam and Perunthurai at a cost of Rs 50 to 100 crore. The proposed parks would come under the joint venture with state government and private entrepreneurs.

Stating that Tamil Nadu Government was forerunner in the country by implementing Central Government schemes, Mr Elangovan cited the Union Government's recently introduced insurance scheme for the benefit of weavers, under which the Centre would sponsor Rs 800 on each weavers to remit their annual premium of Rs 1,000.

The remaining amount of Rs 200 would be meted out by the beneficiary weaver.

The Tamil Nadu Government had generously come forward to meet the weavers contribution of Rs 200, he said adding about two lakh weavers would be benefitted under the scheme.

Several state governments were now in touch with the Tamil Nadu Government and enquiring about the implementation of this scheme in order to introduce it in their states, he added.

Earlier, inaugurating the fair, Mr Elangovan said the Union Government had approved the Jute Technology Mission (JTM) at a total outlay of Rs 355.55 crore. The JTM would encompass sub-systems pertaining to agricultural research and seed development, agronomic practices, harvest and post harvest techniques, the primary and secondary processing of raw jute, diversified product development, market development and marketing distribution.

He said it was expected that the initiatives by the Government would help to transform the jute sector into a vibrant and dynamic one to enable the sector to withstand international competition.

The Government, besides making efforts to modernise the jute industry through TUF and Jute Manufactures Development Council (JMDC) was also contemplating an incentive scheme for the modernisation of jute industry. There was encouraging response from the industry to reap the benefits under the schemes, he added.

The National Centre for Jute Diversification (NCJD) would focus attention on the diversification in the jute sector, he said adding the Centre was introduced a host of schemes for the benefit of jute entrepreneurs by opening jute raw material banks and jute service centres all over the country.

The jute industry was providing direct employment to nearly 2.66 lakh workers and supporting the livelihood of around four million farm families. The National Common Minimum Programme of the UPA Government providing for fresh impetus should be given to the Jute industry in all respects, he said adding that the export of jute diversified products presently constitute 22 per cent of total jute goods exports from the country.

JMDC Market Promotion Officer T Ayyappan, in his address said the fair would be an exclusive exposition of eco-friendly lifestyle jute products.

The fair has been organised under the joint auspices of Jute Manufactures Development Council (JMDC) and the National Centre for Jute Diversification with a view to encouraging jute entrepreneurs in market promotion efforts. The fair also aimed at creating awareness about the products made of jute, he added.

He said more than 36 stalls from all over the country were showcasing variety of jute products in the fair.

UNI