Union Textile Minister, Santosh Kumar Gangwar, today asked the captains of textile industry to take their demands and grievances to the Commerce and Finance Ministries and also PMO in Delhi.

After listening to the views of the major industry associations in the region, Gangwar said that all the 15 demands of the Associations were very reasonable, and assured to take necessary steps and find solutions.

He advised the office bearers of Southern India Mills Association (SIMA), where a meeting was held, to visit Delhi along with office-bearers of Confederation of Indian Textile Industry and Cotton Textiles Export Promotion Council, so that his Ministry could take up the matter suitably with the ministries concerned.

The associations thanked the Minister for announcing Amended TUF scheme, with a record allocation of Rs.17,822 crore, extending export incentives for textile products under Interest Equalisation Scheme, Merchandised Exports of India schemes and enhancing duty drawback rates for various textile products, particularly garments, and taking efforts for promoting coastal movement of cotton from Gujarat to Tamil Nadu in a cost effective manner.

The associations appealed the Minister to address some issues, to create a level playing field in globalised environment, and to enable the industry to achieve the vision of USD 300 billion textile business size by 2023 from the current level of USD 110 billion as set by the Prime Minister.

The demands include, continuation of Optional CENVAT route, fixing lowest slab of GST for textile industry, extending export incentives for cotton yarn export, reduction of excise duty on man-made fibres from 12.5 per cent to six per cent, implement Direct Payment Deficiency System in lieu of MSP operations being exercised by Cotton Corporation of India and other federations, and compensate the farmers directly whenever the cotton market price ruled below MSP.