The Minister of Textiles (MoT), Shri Shankersinh Vaghela presided over a meeting of All India Powerloom Board.
Meeting was attended by the representatives of powerloom sector and Secretary Incharges of Textiles of Tamil Nadu, Punjab, Karnataka, Gujarat and Rajasthan. Shri Vaghela exhorted the powerloom sector to come forward for large-scale modernization so that the fabric need for the garment sector could be fulfilled and this way they can help in import substitution.
He also stressed to increase the growth of powerloom sector from 10% to 14% so that this sector could achieve a level of 26 Billion Sq. Mtr. additional fabric production by 2010.
The present level of fabric production by the powerloom sector is 29 Billion sq. mtr. which is about 62% of the total fabric produced in the country during 2005-2006.
The Minister expressed his appreciation to the powerloom sector for availing the Technology Upgradation Fund benefits. For the last two years, the sector is modernizing itself with the help of central assistance under Technology Upgradation Fund Scheme. Central Government disbursed Rs.6.00 crore subsidy during 2004-05 which has gone up by Rs.23.00 crore during 2005-2006 and likewise this year the progress will be more than three times of the previous year.
The Minister has also requested the State Governments to give certain concessions to powerloom sector particularly the tariff concession in electricity and quality of power should also be improved for the powerloom sector. Shri Vaghela directed his Ministry to chalk-out a comprehensive programme so that there should be no shortage of trained persons in the sector.
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