New textile policy will address all issues: Govt official

Coimbatore, Feb 13 (PTI): The Central government would address all issues in its new National Textile Policy which is

likely to be announced in a couple of months, Union Textile Secretary Ravi Capoor has said.

This was announced on Wednesday during an interactive session with captains of the textile industry in the

region. Capoor said the policy would ensure basic raw

materials availability at international price and encourage scale-up of operation by developing 10 mega textile parks with

over 1,000 acres of land closer to the ports, among others.

The new policy would address power cost, credit cost and its availability and expedite conclusion of the free trade

agreements with EU, the UK and other countries to boost exports, a press release from the Confederation of Indian

Textile Industry (CITI), which organised the session, quoted Capoor as saying.

He exhorted the textile industry, especially in Tamil Nadu, to diversify into polyester segment to boost exports.

The global textiles market of cotton and man-made fibre is in the ratio of 30:70 while it was the reverse in

India. Of the total textile exports, cotton textiles

accounted 80 per cent due to the price advantage of the home- grown cotton, while it is only 20 per cent in the man-made

fibre segments due to the expensive raw material. Capoor asked Tirupur Knitwear Cluster to brand its

garments and products under sustainable programme that might fetch a larger margin globally and the government would extend

necessary support to promote the brand. CITI chairman T Rajkumar said the government has

identified the textile industry as the thrust area and in real terms Make in India facilities without any imports right

from fibre to finished goods, ensures inclusive growth by providing jobs.