The Hindu : Tamil Nadu News : Cauvery Hi-tech Weaving Park inaugurated

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Sunday, Apr 20, 2008
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Tamil Nadu

Tamil Nadu

Cauvery Hi-tech Weaving Park inaugurated

Staff Reporter

– PHOTO: M. GOVARTHAN

NEW OPPORTUNITIES: Union Finance Minister P. Chidambaram starts a loom to mark the inauguration of the Cauvery Hi-tech Weaving Park in Komarapalayam on Saturday.

KOMARAPALAYAM: Union Finance Minister P. Chidambaram on Saturday inaugurated Cauvery Hi-tech Weaving Park here. After inaugurating the Rs. 121.35-crore park, he said the Union Government would look into the textile industry’s concerns on soaring yarn price, export of waste cotton, tax on hi-speed looms and rupee appreciation.

The Minister assured the industry representatives that the Government had understood their problems and would soon try to redress it. However he had a word of advice for the industry: “New developments pose new challenges and the industry must adjust and cope with those challenges. In standing up to those challenges, the Government would support the industry.”

Mr. Chidambaram said six more hi-tech weaving parks would come up in Tamil Nadu in Komarapalayam, Madurai, Perundurai, Cuddalore and two other places. They would add strength to weaving in the country.

He also touched upon the issue of labour shortage. Mr. Chidambaram told weavers that the Government, through IL&FS, had come up with a programme to train youth into skilled labourers and that the weavers could make use of the programme.

He wondered how there could be unemployment and labour shortage at the same time, and added that the Government had also come up with the Skill Development Corporation to address the shortage of skilled manpower in the Country.

Union Minister of State for Textiles E.V.K.S. Elangovan said weavers should not only look at export market but also domestic, as the Country was 110-crore people strong. He told the industry representatives that the Government was ready to support their efforts in finding the local market.

He then suggested to the industry that they bear with problems of market and fluctuations therein. State Minister for Handlooms and Textiles N.K.K.P. Raja said he would look into the park’s demand for power concession. Union Minister of State for Social Justice and Empowerment Subbulakshmi Jagadeesan also spoke.

Earlier, in his welcome address, the Park’s Chairman M.S. Mathivanan said the Cauvery Park was one of the first to be approved by the Union Government under the old scheme. He appealed to the Minister Mr. Raja to supply power at a concession rate to industries in the park.

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