29TH INDIAN INTERNATIONAL
GARMENT FAIR IN
THE CAPITAL
TEXTILE
INDUSTRY URGED TO ENHANCE SHARE IN
THE GLOBAL TRADE
The three-day 29th
Indian International Garment Fair was declared open today at Pragati
Maidan by Textile Minister, Shri Kashiram Rana. Delegates from
78 countries are participating in the fair. China is participating
for the first time in this fair. Inaugurating the 29th
India International Garment Fair, Shri Kashiram Rana urged upon
the textile industry to be more competitive to grab a sizeable
share in $ 200 billion global trade. The garment industry being
a vibrant sector of Indian economy is a major contributor of foreign
exchange earnings. During the year 2001-2002 garments worth $
5 billion were exported from the country. Shri Rana assured the
exporters that textile ministry is reviewing the export scenario
in order to identify measures that would enhance the export competitiveness
of Indian textiles and clothing in the rapidly changing external
environment particularly in the 2004 period when the quota regime
will be dismantled. He announced that apart from a growth oriented
fiscal duty structure and removal of control and restructure for
the industry, Government has taken several other steps like facilitating
large scale investments in technology and modernization through
T.U.F. scheme, setting up of Integrated Apparel Parks, development
of adequate infrastructure at major textile and apparel sectors
through Textiles Central Infrastructure Development Scheme, modernisation
of weaving sectors, will definitely give a boost to the textile
industry. Commenting upon the various recommendations by Apparel
Export Promotion Council, Shri Rana said that the Textile Ministry
has taken up these proposals with other related ministries but
some of benefits have already been made available to the garment
exporters based on the recommendations by A.E.P.C. The benefits
like eligibility for licences/certificates/ custom clearance for
import and export on self declaration basis, import of sample
fabric duty free with 3% limit for trimmings and embellishments,
removal of administrative hassles in the closing of licences,
extention in the period of realisation of export proceeds from
180 days to 360 days, reduction in penal interest rates from 24%
to 15%, income tax concession etc. will help the exporters to
a large extent. He further stated that as a part of Government’s
efforts to reduce transaction costs and time, quota policy amendments
were issued regarding relaxations in the performance level for
the purpose of forfeiture of EMD/BG rates for the year 2001. The
EMD/BG rates under the FCFS system have been reduced.
Speaking
on the occasion, Minister of State for Textiles, Shri Basangouda
R. Patil said that the performance of the garment export industry
in recent years has set an excellent example for other export
sectors to emulate and this success is due to the sustained efforts,
commitment and dynamism in adjusting to market forces, by the
textile industry. But the industry has still to make radical improvement
in the area of productivity, service and quality as it faces new
challenges in the world market. He urged upon the exporters to
achieve the ambitious target of 15 billion U.S. dollars for the
textile sector of which the share of apparel sector is 6 billion
U.S. Dollars during the year 2002-2003. Expressing satisfaction
over the increase of 7.5% in quota exports during the last three
months, the Minister hoped that the pace of export growth would
accelerate in the near future.
The
Chairman of AEPC, Shri Virendra Uppal acknowledged the efforts
of the Textile Minister in ending the weavers strike in Gujarat.
Shri Uppal urged upon the Minister for restoration of All Industry
Duty Draw back rates prevailing prior to June 1st,2002
as an immediate relief to garment exporters.
The three day event
has been organised by AEPC in association with Apparel Exporter
& Manufacturers Association (AEMA), Garment Exporters Association
(GEA), Clothing Manufacturers Association of India (CMAI) and
Apparel & Handloom Exporters Association (AHEA).
