Govt's AEPC-compliance program for SMEs

NEW DELHI, INDIA: The textile ministry has urged the small and medium enterprises (SMEs) in the sector to take advantage of the Apparel Export Promotion Council’s pan India program on Compliance - DISHA (Driving Industry towards Sustainable Human Capital Advancement).

Inaugurating the program here on Monday, Kiran Dhingra, secretary, Ministry of Textiles said this program will make them more competitive and productive.

“This program encourages members to follow better social practices, which will give them a competitive edge in the global market where social compliance is increasingly becoming an important buying decision,” Dhingra said.

She added that the program will guide industry in meeting their compliance requirements through a set of orientation-cum-enrollment workshops.

“I am sure that the larger part of the industry is already compliant…In fact, in this country, the pattern of manufacturer in textile is more decentralized and small. I would request the management of DISHA to give greater attention in getting the smaller units in to their code,” she said.

It is essential to make these small units more competitive and productive via this compliance program, Dhingra added.

In an industry which is labour intensive, DISHA will aim to not just enhance productivity but will provide a better working environment to the workers, she added further.

The AEPC also said it is the first of its kind public private partnership program as they have targeted of enrolling a total of 400 units by the end of this year and 2000 garment factories by 2017, with focus on small exporters.