Cabinet approves reforms in textile sector

Girja Shankar Kaura

Tribune News Service

New Delhi, December 7

The government today gave its approval to bring about reforms in the textile made-ups sector with the intention to boost employment generation by creating 11 lakh jobs over three years and subsequently boosting exports.

The approval came at a Union Cabinet meeting chaired by PM here this evening. The Cabinet also gave its ex post facto approval to the MoU between India and UK for cooperation in intellectual property (IP) and to support UK in ease of doing business in India.

The MoU in ease of doing business will enable exchange of officials from both governments to facilitate sharing of best practices, offering technical assistance and enhanced implementation of reforms. The collaboration will also cover state governments in its ambit.

The CCEA in its meeting approved the half yearly review of Nutrient Based Subsidy (NBS) rates for phosphatic and potassic (P&K) fertilisers for the year and in the interest of farmers decided to roll over the existing subsidy rates for another six months till the end of the financial year 2016-17.

In an effort to boost the textile made-ups sector, the government has approved interventions in a time-bound manner within the approved budget of Rs 6,006 crore for the apparel package with the objective of creating large-scale direct and indirect employment of up to 11 lakh persons over the next three years in the made-ups sector.

The government would work towards providing production incentive through enhanced Technology Upgradation Fund Scheme (TUFS) subsidy of additional 10 per cent for made-ups similar to what is provided to garments based on the additional production and employment after a period of three years.

The labour laws would be simplified, which would include increasing permissible overtime up to 100 hours per quarter in made-ups manufacturing sector and making employees’ contribution to EPF optional for employees earning less than Rs 15,000 per month.