import duties: Develop umbrella policies for cotton, closed jute mills: Parliamentary panel to govt

The Standing Committee on Labour, Textiles and Skill Development Wednesday suggested the government to come up with an umbrella policy approach for the cotton sector, a comprehensive policy with regard to reviving the closed jute mills or setting up new mills and explore the markets other than the UAE, US and EU for silk exports to “gainfully compensate” for any dip in the value of exports.

“The committee have recommended that the government should, instead of foregoing revenue by scrapping of import duties, should incentivise the cotton growing farmers of the country and handhold them irrespective of the cotton growing zone of the country to which they belong to,” the committee said.

It asked the ministry to commission a comprehensive study on the issues relating to production, productivity, soil system, and should contemplate for bringing more area of cotton cultivation under irrigation.

Considering the fact that the jute sector occupies an important place in the national economy and provides direct and indirect employment and source of livelihood to millions of people including a large number of women and rural population, the committee has asked the textiles ministry to expedite formulation
of National Textile Policy and complete the exercise within a definite timelines.

Separately, the Committee on Estimates (2023-24) on Empowerment through PM Mega Integrated Textile Region and Apparel (PM MITRA) Parks Scheme has recommended the government to consider extending duty exemptions including CGST reimbursements and import duty rationalizations to curb low cost and undervalued import of Chinese knitted fabric.

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