SURAT, June 17: Union textile minister Kashiram Rana has exhorted textile exporters in the country to make concerted efforts and channelise their creative energies towards increasing exports.The minister was speaking at Texprocil's Award Function held in Mumbai on recently. In his speech, a copy of which was made available to Express Newsline, Rana asked the manufacturers to concentrate on the current level of modernisation in the textile industry and take all necessary steps like setting up of 100 per cent export-oriented weaving units and state-of-the-art processing units.The government's priority from day one has been to give impetus to exports on all fronts, he announced adding that the new Exim Policy was in line with that initiative and that the exporters should make full use of it.The Technology Upgradation Fund Scheme prepared by the ministry of textile was under consideration and was likely to be launched soon, he announced. The scheme would add momentum to the modernisation process and encourage the textile industry to upgrade itself technologically and meet the emerging global challenge, he claimed.Another proposal - Cotton Technology Mission - which should address the problems related to production of cotton like low yield per hectare, poor quality of seed, which could improve prospects of the cotton textile industry, was also being considered by the government, he announced.He also promised to review the Textile Policy of 1985 in context to present scenario in the domestic as well as global environment.Stressing the need for identifying new market for existing products and development of new products for the existing market, Rana said ``Our destination too require diversification.'' One of the focussed thrust market for textile like Latin American Countries should be actively pursued, he pointed out.The minister suggested that an action plan be drawn up by the Textile Associations and Export Promotion Council to give fillip to the weaving and processing sector. Wherever the units have been consistently reinvesting their profit for modernising their equipment, they have been able to retain competitive strength, he commented.He called upon the manufacturers to develop eco-friendly textiles and hoped that manufacturers in the decentralised powerloom sector would also take steps to develop Azo-free environment-friendly textiles.India would have to face intense challenges in increasing exports to developed countries in future, even though textile trade from India was expected to grow, he pointed out.The minister admitted that the upheavals in south eastern countries and anti-dumping investigations and levy of higher provisional duty by the European Union on grey fabric had hampered cotton textile exports.On the occasion, the minister also appealed to exporters and manufacturers to donate liberally towards the Prime Minister's relief fund for the cyclone-affected of Gujarat.
