By Our Special Correspondent MUMBAI, JAN. 30
The FICCI President has suggested four policy measures for the growth of the sector. Firstly, according to Ms. Naina Lal Kidwai, President, FICCI, there is a need to chalk out now a long term plan or vision for this sector in a strategic manner. This plan needs to be for the next 10 to 15 years at least which will provide stable fiscal and nonfiscal regime for the sector. FICCI would be happy to assist Ministry of Textiles for formulating this roadmap, he added.
The second policy measure listed out was on technical textiles. Ms. Kidwai said that technical textiles find applications in different sectors which fall under various Departments of Government. Without the involvement of these Departments the sector cannot register its targeted growth. It is important that regulatory regime and schemes falling under various Departments ensure a stable and predictable market demand for these products in the next 10 to 15 years.
This is a technology intensive industry and requires relatively substantial investment as compared to traditional textiles. Hence, it is important that they have a clear market development roadmap for a longer period, FICCI President said and suggested constitution of a Committee of Secretaries which can resolve these interdepartmental issues on a regular basis. The third policy measures listed out by Ms. Kidwai was formulating standards for these products will infuse confidence in the consumers.
There are number of technical textiles products for which standards need to be formulated. This may require capacity building at the standard setting bodies also in order to ensure speedy formulation of these standards, she added. On the fourth policy measure, Ms. Kidwai said that technical textiles draw a lot of raw material from synthetic or manmade fibres. In order to ensure competitive downstream industry it is important to achieve fibre neutral tax regime at the earliest, she suggested. (Source: Tecoya Trend)