APPAREL PARKS
AT TIRUPUR AND KANCHEEPURAM
CONSULTATIVE
COMMITTEE OF TEXTILE MINISTRY MEETS
The Ministry of Textiles
is considering modifications in the Textile Infrastructure Development
Scheme for speedily addressing the need for rejuvenating infrastructure
facilities at major textile production centres. Addressing the
Members of the Consultative Committee, the Minister of State for
Textiles, Shri Basanagouda R. Patil, said that the Ministry was
engaged in the task of addressing the infrastructure needs of
the textile industry, particularly in view of the post-quota regime
from January 2005.
Shri Patil told the
Members that two more Apparel Parks would be established at Tirupur
and Irrugontakottai – Kancheepuram in Tamil Nadu. Apparel Parks
have already been sanctioned at Visakhapatnam (Andhra Pradesh),
Ludhiana (Punjab), Surat (Gujarat), Bangalore (Karnataka), Tronica
City Ghaziabad and Kanpur (Uttar Pradesh), and Thiruvananthapuram
(Kerala). The construction work of the Apparel International Mart
at NOIDA near Delhi was progressing, the Minister added.
Shri Patil said that
co-ordinated promotional events were being undertaken to boost
exports of yarn and fabrics to the growing African apparel industry
as a part of the Focus Africa Programme. He told the Members that
India would establish Working Group in the textile sector with
Mauritius and Tunisia, following bilateral agreements arrived
at during the visit of the Textile Minister Shri Kashiram Rana
to these countries. A mega textile event would be held in Latin
American countries later this month for tapping the rich export
potential there.
The Minister said
that textile exports during the period April – July 2002 was to
the tune of $ 3,846 million as against $ 3,604 million during
the corresponding period, representing a growth of nearly 6.7
per cent. The Ministry was aiming at a much higher growth rate
during the coming months so as to realise the ambitious target
of $ 15,005 million set for the year 2002 – 03.
Shri Patil informed
the Members that textile imports during the period April – July
2002 registered a decline of nearly nine per cent in comparison
with that of the corresponding period last year. The decline was
more pronounced in the higher value added products like readymade
garments, which registered a decline of 48.5 per cent and made-up
items, which made a decline of 17.9 per cent. However, there was
increase in imports in the raw material sector, which was not
even one per cent of the domestic production of textiles in the
country. He added that though there was no real threat to the
domestic industry from surge in imports, the Ministry was keeping
a constant watch on the import situation and would strive to ensure
that the imports did not harm the domestic industry. He also mentioned
that the Designated Authority had recently initiated anti-dumping
investigations on imports of silk from China on the basis of a
complaint lodged by the domestic industry.
The MPs who attended
today’s meeting were Shri M. Chinnasamy, Smt. Sandhya Bauri, Shri
G. Ramamohan, Shri Mohan Rawale, Shri G. Puttaswamy Gowda, Shri
A.P. Abdullakutty all from Lok Sabha; and Shri Lajpat Rai from
Rajya Sabha.
