The Hindu : Karnataka / Bangalore News : Need to modernise powerloom industry stressed

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Thursday, Jul 27, 2006

Karnataka

Karnataka - Bangalore

Need to modernise powerloom industry stressed

Staff Reporter

Limit for providing assistance increased from Rs. 1 crore to Rs. 2 crore

Bangalore: J.N. Singh, Textile Commissioner, Government of India, has stressed the need for modernisation and use of latest technology in the powerloom industry.

He was speaking after inaugurating the 11th Buyer-Seller Meet organised by the Powerloom Development and Export Promotion Council (PDEXCIL) here on Wednesday.

Mr. Singh said that the Government was making all efforts to promote the powerloom sector by giving subsidies. Just two days ago, the ministry had increased the limit for providing assistance to powerloom industries under the Technology Upgradation Fund (TUF) scheme from Rs. 1 crore to Rs. 2 crore, he said.

"We have kept aside Rs. 100 crore for this purpose for this year. Powerloom units should make use of this fund to modernise and upgrade their looms at the earliest," he said.

Last year, the subsidy utilised was Rs. 23 crore while the modernisation work taken up by the powerloom units amounted to Rs. 130 crore. "This year, we expect that modernisation programmes up to the tune of Rs. 750 crore will be taken up," Mr. Singh said.

Quality upgradation

The Government had undertaken quality upgradation by promoting integrated textile parks in the country. The Centre had sanctioned 25 textile parks in the past one year, two of which were in Karnataka, he said.

"These parks should have only the most modern and latest technology for production of high quality powerloom textiles. Around 10,000-12,000 shuttle-less looms would be installed in these parks, he said.

C. Valliappa, chairman of Karnataka Textile Mills Association, said that around 50 people were participating in the meet this year. He lamented that the State Government was not providing any assistance to the textile industry even though three lakh people, mostly from poor families, were employed in this sector.

Printer friendly page
Send this article to Friends by E-Mail

Karnataka