Gujarat to announce textile policy: Narendra Modi

AHMEDABAD: Gujarat would soon announce an integrated textile policy to give a fillip to the industry that contributes 23% to its GDP. Chief minister Narendra Modi on Friday told the state's garmenters that the state need much more than a policy for just cotton growers or spinners and that the proposed policy would make the state competitive with other textile and clothing manufacturing destinations in the country.

"We should have a policy that looks beyond the individual interests of cotton growers, ginners, yarn markers or that of fabric makers. A textile policy covering the entire textile value chain from cotton to ready made garments, to exports will be in the offing soon," he said at the 20th Gujarat Garment Manufacturers Association's National Garment Fair in the city on Friday.

Modi said the industry needs to develop cluster-approach to develop and compete internationally. "The sector needs to focus on traditional fashion and undertake credible branding exercise to appeal to the international clientele," he said.

Maharashtra has in the recent past rolled out the red carpet to the Gujarat textile industry to invest in proposed 14 textile parks. Sectoral experts note that Gujarat's textile policy would outdo the policy drafted by Maharastra.

Apart from its strength in cotton, Gujarat has developed expertise in denim and man-made fabric production and has taken strides in technical textiles.