Ujwal Lahoti, Chairman of the Cotton Textiles Export Promotion Council (Texprocil) his happy with the Prime Minister for his visionary outlook towards employment generation. He extended his special thanks to the minister of textiles, Smriti Irani, Rashmi Verma, Secretary Textiles for having kept the promise of extending a special package for apparels to the made ups sector also. The Cabinet has approved the much awaited package for made ups sector. The package has been made with the primary objective of creating large scale direct and indirect employment of up to 11 lakh people over the next three years in this sector.

Welcoming the package, Lahoti said this was a positive move which will boost exports of made ups and also generate employment. He said the announcement has come as a relief to exporters of made ups who are passing through a difficult phase as their products faces duty disadvantage in the main market of EU as compared to products from competing countries on account of preferential tariffs given to some of them. The package includes similar measures given to apparels like additional 10 per cent subsidy under TUFS, additional contribution under Pradhan Mantri Rozgar Protsahan Yojana (PMRPY) and the Rebate of State Levies (ROSL).

The made ups sector generates employment for women and in rural areas and the government has recognized this potential while announcing the measures, the Chairman said. The permissible overtime has been increased by up to 100 hours per quarter and employees’ contribution to EPF has been made optional for employees earning less than Rs 15, 000 per month. Lahoti says, these measures will go a long way in bringing about labour reforms in the sector besides enhancing the benefits to the workers.