Giriraj Singh Reviews Textile Reforms to Boost Industry Growth

The Minister reviewed the performance of ITADCs during the first quarter of the 2026-27 financial year and welcomed the expansion of their activities across different parts of the textile value chain.

Union Textiles Minister Giriraj Singh chaired a high-level review meeting to assess the progress of major initiatives aimed at strengthening India's textile sector through technology upgrades, institutional reforms and improved support for entrepreneurs and manufacturers.

The meeting, attended by senior officials of the Ministry of Textiles, focused on expanding the role of the former Powerloom Service Centres, which have now been transformed into Integrated Textile and Apparel Development Centres (ITADCs). These centres are being developed as comprehensive support hubs that provide skill development, product testing, design assistance, technology adoption, entrepreneurship support, credit facilitation, export guidance and market linkages for textile businesses, particularly micro, small and medium enterprises.

The Minister reviewed the performance of ITADCs during the first quarter of the 2026-27 financial year and welcomed the expansion of their activities across different parts of the textile value chain.

Technology upgrades and entrepreneurship gain momentum

During the review, officials reported that ITADCs trained more than 1,170 people and conducted outreach programmes benefiting nearly 1,770 textile units during the first quarter. The centres also helped businesses access institutional credit, expand into e-commerce markets, promote entrepreneurship and encourage the commercial use of emerging natural fibres such as bamboo, hemp, flax, banana and pineapple.

Giriraj Singh said the centres are steadily developing into innovation and enterprise support institutions capable of assisting businesses from the early stages of product development through to commercial expansion.

The Minister also reviewed the implementation of the Amended Technology Upgradation Fund Scheme (ATUFS), which continues to support the modernisation of India's textile industry. According to an independent impact assessment, the scheme has supported 10,061 textile units with subsidy assistance of ₹2,776 crore, encouraging investments worth more than ₹53,121 crore. Nearly 6.7 lakh modern textile machines have been installed under the programme, generating approximately 3.6 lakh direct jobs.

The assessment found that every ₹1 crore of subsidy attracted nearly ₹19 crore in private investment while creating around 130 direct jobs. The weaving sector accounted for 46 per cent of the total subsidy, while composite textile units generated almost 1.7 lakh new jobs.

New digital platforms strengthen monitoring and governance

During the meeting, the Minister inaugurated the revamped website of the Office of the Textile Commissioner, which offers a more user-friendly interface with updated information on government schemes, services and institutional activities. The portal also features interactive maps of ITADCs and powerloom clusters, along with improved accessibility features.

Giriraj Singh also launched a new Key Performance Indicator (KPI) Portal for ITADCs that enables real-time monitoring of field activities through digital dashboards, structured performance reviews and data-driven benchmarking. The system is expected to improve transparency, governance and service delivery across textile support centres nationwide.

Textiles Secretary Neelam Shami Rao emphasised the importance of stronger coordination between field offices, the Textile Committee, Export Promotion Councils, Textile Research Associations, state governments and industry bodies to improve outreach and ensure effective implementation of government programmes. The meeting concluded with a renewed commitment to strengthening institutional support, encouraging technology adoption, promoting entrepreneurship and building a globally competitive, innovation-driven and employment-intensive textile sector.