Set up Tamil Nadu Export Promotion Board: TEA

Tirupur, Mar 13 (UNI) The Tirupur Exporters Association (TEA) has suggested for setting up 'Tamil Nadu State Export Promotion Board' for a focused approach for export development.

TEA, in a press relase here said Association president A Sakthivel participated in the first meeting of the special task force convened under the chairmanship of Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M Karunanidhi at Chennai yesterday.

At the meeting Mr Sakthivel suggested that the board could function under Chief Minister's leadership with members of leading trade associations actively involved in exports and meet once in a quarter to monitor the export trend.

The association suggested that Tamil Nadu government should come out a separate state export policy in line with Foreign Trade Policy of the Centre to give a focused approach for export development of the state.

On the labour law reforms, the TEA said the existing labour laws in India were quite rigid and the rules and regulations were constraints to the overall growth of the textile industry.

During the discussion with the Chief Minister, the delegates pointed out that export of knitted garments during the calender year 2006 was Rs 10,250 crore and that it was expected to touch Rs 11,000 crore during the current fiscal. This sector in Tirupur alone provides employment to more than three lakh people especially women from the rural areas.

The TEA also urged that the producion of industrial units which export 50 per cent and more should be declared as "Public Utility Service" so that work stoppage do not take place without proper notice.

While thanking the State Government for its readiness to support the Marine Discharge Project by providing assistance to the tune of 15 per cent along with Central assistance of 25 per cent, the delegation requested the government to increase its contribution from 15 per cent in order to reduce the industry's burden in availing the loan for Marine Discharge Project.

They also pointed out that as zero discharge was practically impossible to follow by the dyeing units in line with the rest of state norms of 2100 PPM to 3000 PPM, The Tamil Nadu Pollution Control Board (TNPCB) could request the Court to accord permission for maintaining the earlier prescibed norm of 2100 PPM to 3000 PPM in the discharge of dyeing effluent.

UNI