Govt giving major push to apparel exports: Vaghela

Bangalore, Sep 2 (UNI) Union Textiles Minister Shanker Sinh Vaghela today said that the government had sanctioned 30 Exclusive Apparel Parks in the country to boost the exports and achieve the targetted 50 billion dollar exports by 2010.

Speaking at a summit organised by Kufner-International Association of Clothing Designers and Executives, he said the country's exports now stood at 19 billion dollars and the new apparel parks infused with huge amount of foreign and private investment would make the country a top exporter in textiles, he said.

Mr Vaghela said that major global players in apparel industry had come forward to set up the parks and the government had extended Rs 40 crore as subsidy and allot 70 to 100 acres of land to each of such parks.

"There are still 50 proposals pending with the government and they would be finalised soon. Andhra Pradesh, Gujarat and Maharashtra have cornered most of the projects," he said.

The minister said that the government was supportive of setting more SEZs in textile sector and the land losers would not be burdened as guidelines provided for higher value for land acquired for such zones. "I call upon German textile majors to come to India and invest in the investor friendly exclusive apparel parks," he added.

UNI