Textiles inter-ministerial panel to soon submit report to Prime Minister's Office

NEW DELHI: The inter-ministerial panel on textiles would submit its action plan to the Prime Minister's Office in the next few days, suggesting ways to raise exports.

At the meeting of High-Level Committee on Manufacturing, chaired by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on July 9, it was decided that a slew of steps, including ramping up textile exports by 30 per cent this year, would be taken.

Besides an inter-ministerial group, headed by Textiles Secretary Zohra Chatterji, was set up to work out a new competitiveness strategy for the sector.

"In the meeting, the Prime Minister has asked the group to prepare an action plan to recommend possible solutions to problems faced by the industry. We will submit it (the plan) in the next 10 to 12 days to the Prime Minister's Office (PMO)," Textiles Minister K Sambasiva Rao has said.

To make the sector competitive at a global level, Rao said: "We have suggested that labour laws should be amended and credit should be made available to the sector at a reasonable price."

These decisions are crucial as these come against the backdrop of the government's keenness to boost manufacturing and exports amidst falling value of the rupee.

"There is no alternative except boosting textiles as it is a potential industry where exports can be increased quickly. Decisions have to be taken in time by the government and the authorities," Rao said.

During 2012-13, the country's textiles exports stood at $ 34 billion and the aim is to increase it by 30 per cent to over $ 44 billion in 2013-14.