Inauguration
A galaxy of garment industry owners, CEO’s, industry professionals, academicians, representatives from industry associations, researchers, consultants, service providers, final year and post graduate students etc. numbering 305 attended ICAHT 07 .
Mr. Ajay Shankar IAS, Secretary IPP, Ministry of Commerce and Industry was the chief guest and Mr. J.N. Singh IAS, Textile Commissioner & Mr. R.C.M. Reddy IAS, Chief Executive IL&FS Cluster Development Initiatives Ltd., were the guests of honour.
We need to appreciate apparel industry is unique in its processes and systems and attempt solutions accordingly
- Till recent past the most common solution to problem was just hire more employees, buy more machines or spends more money. The industry cannot afford this approach anymore. Further working around only sewing operators to improve the current state of industry is again false and will generate least amount of savings.
- Instead of throwing more physical resources at problems, organizations need to try and identify bottlenecks and remove them by scientific analysis and professional enforcement
We generally know what is coming, we now know challenges, we know what future expectations are and at least now we need to adapt & meet this head on.
Have a proactive dialogue with the Government to identify various policy issues (short term and long term) that need to be addressed in order to stimulate growth of Textile Industry in India.
Improve the competitiveness of the industry in India and participate in the schemes provided by the Ministry with regard to restructuring, productivity enhancement, increasing exports etc.
participate in negotiations with other industry associations (domestically and internationally) to solve issues related to trade and investment in textiles
Garmenting started 30 years ago in India and till date industry has been relying on hard work alone
- It is under such circumstances that India needs to plan her strategy and make India an alternative to China as a sourcing hub.
- It will need enormous courage to bring industry to a level that the world can look up to us.
- It needs to be more scientific and innovative to find solutions ourselves as no one else is going to do it for us.
- Organised retail needs to push its own brand
Private Public Participation
- There is need to find solutions rather than arguing about the problems
- A team effort is needed with the government and bureaucracy support but the major contributor has to be the garment industry.
- The role of Domestic Retail sector needs to be defined to convert it into a help for the Textile & Apparel growth rather than a hindrance
- Encourage the industry –Government partnership to emulate best practices from different countries across the world, which would help make Indian industry more competitive
Centre and State Initiatives
- Transaction costs because of deficiency in infrastructure and administration must be reimbursed so that there is pressure on the Govt. to improve.
- The present 10 export promotion councils (EPCs) for different segments of the textile industry do not engage in deep market intelligence gathering needed to support products in an export market. “Instead, many a time they work at cross purposes trying to take away business from each other. The efforts of these different export promotion councils need to be coordinated at the Govt. level by a single agency.
- Integrate the various segments of the textiles industry like fiber , yarn, fabric, garment etc into one fold .
- Make Provision OF Learners/Trainees in the Textile Industry
- Legislate Incentive oriented and productivity based wage System.
- Incenvetise Training
- Adopt scale neutral labour policies
- Adopt scale neutral tax policies