SPOT-VISIT: Union Textiles Minister Smriti Irani takes a look at a modern loom at the Powerloom Service Centre in Erode on Thursday. more-in Union Textiles Minister Smriti Irani said here on Thursday that the new Powertex scheme would pave way for the manufacture of 'zero defect’ products, in line with the Prime Minister’s vision for India, and cluster development. The Minister took stock of the facilities at the Powerloom Service Centre at Surampatti in the city and held discussions on the implementation of central schemes in the textile sector. Industry sources said the Minister’s visit was to accord thrust to replacement of old looms with new rapier shuttleless looms, under the Powertex scheme that brings together all existing schemes for the sector, while also tailoring them to meet the practical industry requirements. Components of the Power tex India Scheme encompass In-situ Upgradation of Plain Powerlooms; Group Workshed Scheme (GWS); Yarn Bank Scheme; Common Facility Centre (CFC); Pradhan Mantri Credit Scheme for Powerloom Weavers; Solar Energy Scheme for Powerlooms; and Facilitation, IT, Awareness, Market Development and Publicity. Powerloom units in the region that were looking for technological upgradation received assurance that this would be facilitated to derive utility of Tex Venture Capital Fund; Grant-in-Aid and Modernisation and Upgradation of Powerloom Service Centres (PSCs); Amended Technology Upgradation Fund Scheme (ATUFS); Modified Comprehensive Powerloom Cluster Development Scheme (MCPCDS); Universal Insurance Coverage Scheme; and Integrated Skill Development Scheme (ISDS). Tirupur Staff Reporter adds: Interacting with garment exporters in Tirupur, Ms. Irani assured them that her Ministry would facilitate the organising of the ‘science conclave’ planned by the Tirupur Exporters Association and NIFT-TEA Knitwear Institute, to promote research and information dissemination. In a representation to the office of Textiles Commissioner, the association had sought the Ministry’s support for the conclave. “We are going to launch shortly the science conclave as an annual event. The support of the Ministry is very much required to ensure participation of technocrats and scientists from reputed research organisations across the country and for the presentation of new concepts that could suit the Tirupur garment industry”, TEA president Raja Shanmugam later told The Hindu. Ms. Irani also told garment manufacturers that her Ministry was considering instituting an award of excellence to textile clusters that perform well both in terms of production and achievement of environmental compliance. The manufacturers appealed for the removal of anti-dumping duty on spandex yarn, which the exporters also wanted. The other demands included speedy setting up of Knitwear Board and larger financial allocation for market promotional activities. Ms. Irani visited Nethaji Apparel Park and various other facilities in the apparel production chain to understand the work culture followed in the Tirupur knitwear cluster.

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