Date:08/12/2006 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2006/12/08/stories/2006120801850700.htm

Andhra Pradesh

New textile policy benefits ginning mills

N. Rahul

HYDERABAD: Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Y.S. Rajasekhara Reddy, said that the State Government had initiated steps to extend the benefits of the new textile policy to modern ginning mills.

He urged the ginners to take advantage of the policy by modernising their units, which would also ensure that the cotton grown in the State was globally competitive. He regretted the failure of ginning and pressing units in the State to make use of modern technology.

Dr. Reddy was addressing the inaugural session of a seminar on textiles organised by the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII). Recalling the significance of the Apparel and Textile Promotion Policy 2006-2010, he said it was an attempt to make cost of all factors of production in the textile and garments value chain, equivalent to that of China as this was a global industry.

When the factors of cost were compared, it was found that India was favourably placed in respect of cotton fibre and manpower.

The situation was different in respect of power, interest and infrastructural costs, he said..