Textile Ministry Directs Govt. Bodies To Source Garments Locally

Trade & Policy

Textile Ministry Directs Govt. Bodies To Source Garments Locally

A recent salvo from the textile ministry asking all ministries, concerned departments and public sector undertakings (PSUs) to make purchases of their textile and fabric requirements from local sources has sent across a positive signal down the line. This directive is intended to augment the earnings of the artisans in the country.

The communiqué was issued dated May 15 where all ministries were required to grant purchase preference to local sources in the textile sector. This is also expected to fall in line with the “Make in India” scheme.

Under the Make in India flagship, growth is expected to pick up in the manufacturing sector and engender more jobs. Though the Make in India project is yet to take off the artist’s easel, the gestation period is expected to come to an end in the near future.

Nearly 2% of India’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP) and 15% of the country’s export earnings come from textile industry. The sector employs over 45 million people directly. It happens to be labor intensive and one of the biggest employment generators in the country.

Speaking on the sidelines of the directive, a textile ministry source disclosed that the ministry has sought details of how much of nonlocal content the government departments and ministries purchase from the textile sector from this point on. This entails that the PSUs, departments and ministries will be required to share information on how much of local and nonlocal purchases are made from the textile sector.

The fact remains that not many textile and garment undertakings maintain record of local and non-local sourcing from the textile sector. Under the circumstances the textile ministry will have to make do with whatever data is made available.