Fast and clear formula needed for textile policy – Chairman, KTML

07 Sep '09

7 min read

“Although the textile policy is a very comprehensive one and covers almost all the relevant areas of the textile industry like skills development, market support, zero rating of exports, incentives for employment of women and disabled persons, etc. but the government will have to devise a proper SOP framework in order to implement and monitor policies which are contained in the policy. It is really advisable that the government should consider a fast and transparent procedure for the disbursement of funds allocated for various programs”.

“By breaking the overall target of $ 25 billion into intermediate yearly targets will also help the industry in monitoring its own progress. Only timely government decisions will make this policy meaningful and any delay in framework formulation will make this policy ineffective. Textile Policy 2009-14 is certainly a welcome initiative taken by the government. This policy seeks to revive the ailing textile sector through some key immediate measures and sets a vision for transforming the present textile industry into a new era.

“The policy looks at the industry from almost every perspective and identifies key areas where investment can bring about fruitful results. By presenting this policy, the government has also recognized that only textile sector can be an engine for rapid growth for Pakistan's economy. If this policy is properly implemented and if due market access is provided, Pakistan's textile industry certainly has the capacity to bring about rapid progress and prosperity which may not be limited to industrial areas only and which may easily spill into the remote areas where progress is really needed”, he concluded by saying.

Recently the Textile Minister has given an assurance of taking up Bt cotton cultivation on which we asked him to provide his views, to which he replied by saying, “Cotton is an important cash crop for Pakistan and accounts for 8.2 per cent of the value added in the agriculture sector and about 2% to GDP, adds over $2.8 billion to the national economy. Livelihood of the millions of farmers and of those employed along the entire cotton value chain is dependent on this single crop”.

“Their entire lifestyle and socio-economic parameters are shaped by the performance of cotton sector. In other words, it is the life-line of the national economy. The use of biotech crops has significantly reduced pesticide usage while increasing yields. Pakistan is giving high priority to plant biotechnology in the hope of addressing the pressing challenges related to improving productivity, farmer's livelihoods, driving rural development, and meeting food security demands”, he concluded.

Fibre2fashion News Desk - India

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