• Investment World
• eWorld
• Catalyst
• Mentor
• Life
• Canvas
• Praxis
• Urban Pulse
• Brand Quest

Our Bureau

"Unlike Tamil Nadu and Andhra Pradesh, which are very effective in getting the ear of the Centre, Karnataka is yet to reflect the urgency to improve its textile industry."

(From left) The Union Minister of State for Textiles, Mr B.R. Patil Yathhnal, Mr C. Valliappa, Chairman, KTMA, and Mr K. Basana Gowda, MP, at the 34th AGM of the Karnataka Textile Mills' Association in Bangalore.

BANGALORE, Dec. 22

KARNATAKA should get aggressive in its follow-up efforts with the Central Government to seek necessary assistance to upgrade the quality of cotton under the Technology Mission for Cotton (TMC).

Unlike Tamil Nadu and Andhra Pradesh, which were very effective in getting the ear of the Centre, Karnataka is yet to reflect the urgency to improve its textile industry.

Stating this, the Union Minister of State for Textiles, Mr B.R. Patil Yathhnal, said here that the State had made considerable progress in certain aspects of the TMC imperatives, but had not put in more effort with regard to modernisation of ginning and pressing on which the TMC has been focussing its resources.

Inaugurating the annual general meeting of the Karnataka Textile Mills Association (KTMA) here, Mr Patil highlighted the various steps taken by the Centre in supporting the textile industry, which had a crucial role in boosting export earnings under WTO regime. He said the textile industry should pick up the thread from the recent trend of declining imports of textiles to consolidate the increase in exports by 13.3 per cent during the period April-August 2002. He attributed the growth to the steps taken by the TMC and felt a concerted effort should be made by major cotton producing States and the textile industry to help India more than double its exports in the next one or two years.

He said the industry demand for subsidy on power would have to be carefully studied and assured KTMA that he would take up the issue with the Government.

He said improving efficiency in production and quality upgradation through the assistance offered by the Technology Upgradation Fund of the Union Government should receive priority attention.

Earlier, Mr C. Valliappa, Chairman, KTMA, pleaded for expediting the formulation of a new textile policy, which has not be revised since 1993. The policy should give ample encouragement to weaving and processing sectors in the State to help readymade garment manufacturers to procure fabrics locally.

Send this article to Friends by E-Mail
Comment on this article to BLFeedback@thehindu.co.in

Stories in this Section
17.5 mt cement capacity up for sale

Copyright © 2002, The Hindu Business Line. Republication or redissemination of the contents of this screen are expressly prohibited without the written consent of The Hindu Business Line