Panipat exporters upbeat; boost to textile, handloom industry

Exporters are upbeat over the announcements of a strong support to the textile and handloom industry in the budget to compete in the global market. The industrialists also welcomed the announcement of the Labour Incentive Scheme.

Rakesh Jain, an exporter, said the Finance Minister announced the establishment of a mega textile park, which would give a boost to the textile industry, and also benefit MSMEs and SMEs. Small entrepreneurs, who did not have sufficient capital, would benefit the most from it, he said.

The Labour Incentive Scheme for handlooms was a significant step, as Panipat had the largest number of handlooms in the country. Handloom entrepreneurs had been demanding the scheme for long, he said.

Lalit Kumar Goel, chairman, Handloom Export Promotion Council, and president, Panipat Exporters Association, welcomed the budget, describing it as "forward-looking" and "employment-centric". He said it aligned the expansion of labour-intensive sectors with large-scale employment generation, rural livelihoods, and export competitiveness amid evolving global trade dynamics.

He further said an integrated approach had been adopted for the textile sector, encompassing fibre self-reliance, modernisation of traditional clusters, sustainability, and skill development. Initiatives such as the National Fibre Mission, National Handloom and Handicrafts Programme, Tex-Eco Initiative, establishment of mega textile parks, Mahatma Gandhi Gram Swaraj Initiative, and focused skilling under SAMARTH 2.0 would strengthen value chains, enhance product quality, and enable handloom and textile exporters to meet global market requirements, while improving incomes for weavers and artisans.

Vinod Dhamija, chairman, Haryana Chamber of Commerce and Industries, Panipat Chapter, said special attention had been given to the textile sectors by providing extensive support to MSMEs. The Union Finance Minister had announced Rs 10,000 crore for SME Growth Fund, Rs 10,000 crore for manufacturing of containers, enhancing the date of filing of return up to March 31, and launching the National Handloom and Handicrafts Programme, he added.