Union minister for chemicals and fertilisers Ananth Kumar, who engaged with the MMF industry earlier in the day, admitted that he never knew that the seeds of the textiles industry actually lay in the petrochemicals ministry, said Irani. Kumar had said that the two ministries should have more of such conversations so that the government can work holistically.
Venkaiah Naidu, Union minister for urban development, delivered the main address, spoke about textiles being a part of Indian culture and tradition. The textiles industry needs to be given due recognition and its rightful place in society. The government is clear that mere production alone will not suffice; production has to be converted into adding value, added Naidu.
He also said that the diversity of Indian textiles was unparalleled in the world, and that textiles and apparel have always contributed immensely towards the socio-economic development of the country. The importance of the industry is reflected in the fact that it contributes 10 per cent to manufacturing, 2 per cent to the GDP, and 13 per cent to the country’s export earnings. The textiles industry is also the second largest employer in India after agriculture with over 45 million people employed directly and about 60 million people employed in allied activities. (KD, SG)
Fibre2Fashion News Desk – India