A national textiles policy should provide a conducive environment for growth of apparel sector across the country, and not only in select clusters where the industry is currently located, AEPC chairman Premal Udani said. There is a need to identify new areas where textile clusters could come up as high costs and shortage of workers in major cities are making the industry uncompetitive, he said while chairing the first meeting of FICCI’s Apparel Committee on July 13.
The main objective of the meeting was to discuss a national textile policy in terms of garments and made ups as growth drivers. To develop new areas for textile industry, infrastructure will be of paramount importance in which both state and central governments can contribute, Mr Udani said.
On skill development initiatives, he said training institutes in rural areas are set up by the government but the workers do not get employment after being trained. These skilled people need to be provided employment, without which the whole purpose of having the training centres in rural areas would be lost.
Strengthening the fabric base is another crucial requirement for the growth of apparel sector, said Mr Udani. Investments need to be enhanced in man-made fabrics. Until the fabric base -- especially in man-made -- is strengthened, India cannot compete with China and Bangladesh in the world market.
Members present emphasised that this is the right time to project to the world that India is a serious alternative to China. The country needs to seize this opportunity. To strengthen the industry, raw materials could be imported in the short-term. In the long-term, the textile policy can look at increasing domestic availability of raw materials for apparel.
The domestic sector also needs to be strengthened as per capita consumption of apparel is very low compared to other developing countries. Members emphasised that the committee needs to suggest specific fiscal incentives and packages for diversifying production base to tier-II cities, technology acquisition and other measurers.
Among those present were AEPC's secretary general Vimal Kirti Singh, director general of Institute of Apparel Management and Apparel Training and Design Centre Darlie Koshy, Ms Dipali Goenka of Welspun India (through video conferencing), Mr Rajive Suri of Impulse India, Mr Rahul Mehta of Creative Casual Wear, Mr Praveen Nayyar of Dimple Creations, Mr Gautam Nair of Matrix Clothing and Mr Sharad Mehra of Arvind Mills.
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