Focus on increasing employability of workers.
The government of Karnataka is planning to give more impetus to training workers in the textile sector which has claimed 15 per cent jobs of the 500,000 in the last one year.
Under the new textile policy announced in 2008-09, the textile department facilitates training workers to enhance their skills in various areas right from cutting fabrics to stitching and designing.
During the last fiscal, 18,000 people were trained of which 10,000 were placed. This year the target is to include 30,000 people.
“The aim is to increase the employability of workers in the sector so that they get better jobs. In the recent downturn, of the five lakh textile workers in the state, about 15 per cent have lost their jobs. It is true that job market scenario is grim, but the point to be noted is most of those who lost jobs were in the lowest cadre such as helpers. If proper training is provided to such workers, their skills can be enhanced and their job opportunities will also increase. In addition to this, training will ensure reduction in wastage, which is the need of the hour. Cost efficiency and quality is what global buyers are looking at,” said Gulihatti Shekar, minister of textiles at the Fabrics and Accessaries Trade Show organised in the city recently.
Karnataka’s textile exports are to the tune of Rs 8,000 crore and domestic turnover is Rs 3,000 crore. Due to global recession, orders had drastically come down, as a result of which exports have shown a decline of 15-18 per cent in the first quarter of the present fiscal, said Atul Ujagar, director, Nike India, Sri Lanka, and Pakistan. “Of course, there are signs of recovery. But unless India becomes more cost competitive and enhances quality of its products at a greater speed, it is going to take some more time before the real bounce back takes place,” he added.
Of the $450 billion global market for textiles, India accounts for $20 billion., whereas its major competitor China’s market size is $150 billion. Countries including China, Vietnam and Bangladesh are preferred to India because of lower costs. “Policy makers have to give thrust to improving efficiency of our workers and provide proper infrastructure facilities to the industry to help it emerge out of the slowdown,” he added.
Buyer delegations from across India, Sri Lanka and Bangladesh took participating. Products on display include variety of apparel fabrics, hangers, zippers, buttons, laser cutting machines, bar coding, printing and testing services.