Need to address lack of manpower in technical textiles: Irani

The government will support the technical textiles sector in bridging the manpower gap but the industry needs to define the requisite skills, Union Minister Smriti Irani said today.
The issue of lack of manpower in the technical textiles sector needs to be addressed, the textiles minister said, adding that the industry needs to define the requisite skills to get support from government.
After defining the skills, the next task would be to bridge the manpower gap in which the industry would be supported adequately by the government, said the Minister.
Addressing a curtain raiser event of Technotex-2017, Irani assured that the government would consistently and constantly engage with the industry to create standards for the technical textiles sector.

The sixth edition of the international exhibition Technotex-2017 will be held from April 12 to 14 in Mumbai. It is being organised by Ficci jointly with the Ministry of Textiles.
The event will showcase products from various sub-sectors of technical textiles, technical textiles equipment and machinery, raw materials and textile manufacturing services. It provides a common platform for interaction amongst stakeholders from across the global technical textile value chain.

The exhibition is expected to draw over 200 exhibitors.
"With participation from countries like Korea, Switzerland, Japan, the US, Germany, Sweden, Belgium, the UK, Luxembourg, Austria, Italy and many more, the event will also have country pavilions of Taiwan and China," Ficci said.

Irani said that agrotech and geo textiles must be represented at Technotex as the sectors have great untapped potential.
She suggested that Technotex stakeholders should engage with agri institutes and urban local bodies to create awareness amongst them regarding the advantages of agrotech such as less consumption of water and better productivity and of geo textiles such as environment-friendly sustainable growth, respectively.
The Minister also released the Standards on Technical Textiles at the event. The release of the standards marks a vital step towards the Textiles Ministry's efforts of standardization of the technical textile products in India.
Alka Panda, Director General, Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS), said that BIS has constituted specialised committees to expedite the process of developing standards. She urged the industry to actively participate with BIS and help in developing standards.

Kavita Gupta, Textile Commissioner, Office of the Textile Commissioner, Ministry of Textiles, in her presentation said that there was a need for increased involvement of user institutions; development of indigenous specially fibers; development of standards; focus on research and development and encouragement of JVs and attracting investment in manufacturing technical textiles machinery.