New Delhi: The Narendra Modi government has failed the Powerloom Sector and weavers, feeling like abandoned orphans, are forced to sell their looms on throwaway prices, Congress MP Imran Pratapgarhi said in the Rajya Sabha Thursday.
“The Textile sector is seond only to the Agriculture, the largest industrial sector of the country. The Narendra Modi government has however abandoned this important sector. People associated with it are feeling like an orphan”, Imran Pratapgarhi said While participating in the debate on Motion of Thanks on the President's Address in the Rajya Sabha Thursday.
“The contribution of Poweroom Industry in Textile Sector is more than 60%. But today, hundreds of families across India who are weavers and are associated with looms are suffering from immense hardship”, he said.
“The erstwhile UPA government in order to support the power loom sector had announced 30% capital subsidy for modernisation and technology upgdradation. This government however has slashed it to 10% and even that is not being disbursed to the weavers since last six months”, he said.
In his speech, Imran Pratpagarhi also said that the Goods and Service Tax (GST) on yarn has made the market unstable due to which weavers are undergoing losses almost on daily basis.
“The GST on Yarn has made the market unstable. There is no control on yarn prices that keep fluctuating. And then there is dumping from China through Nepal and Bangladesh.” “All these factors are destroying the powerloom sector and the government is watching in silence”, he said.
“The GST on Yarn has made the market unstable. There is no control on yarn prices that keep fluctuating. And then there is dumping from China through Nepal and Bangladesh.”
“All these factors are destroying the powerloom sector and the government is watching in silence”, he said.
Imran Pratpagarhi also said that because of the unfavourable government policyweavers are selling their looms on throwaway price.
“Bhiwandi is the largest powerloom hub. More than 200,000 looms were sold in scrap in this textile hub because of the government’s failed textile policy”, he said.
“Situation in Banaras is so bad that weavers here are forced to work as construction labourers”, he said.
Banaras, famous now by his current name Varanasi, is the constituency of Prime Minister Modi. The city’s Banarsi Saris are famous world over.
He also said that massive hike in electricity tariff has made powerloom owners tough to run their business.
“This is high time for the government to take note of the deteriorating situation. And to save the power loom sector, the government must revise the electricity tariff. The GST limit which is currently 20 lakh should be increased to 50 lakh and the subsidy which has been lowered by the current government should be immediately increased”, he said.
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