Textile sector has a huge job potential: Vaghela

NEW DELHI: The Indian Textile sector is in the process of a big capacity expansion following huge investment in the apparel sector and the quota free global market.

Against the available work force of 40,000 skill workers, we need about 4 lakh per annum in the next five years, stated Minister for Textiles, Shankarsinh Vaghela, while addressing a Convocation of Northern India Textiles Research Association (NITRA) in Ghaziabad. 

He said a serious thought should be given to create skilled workforce in the sector to cater to the expanding globalised market. We not only need additional manpower but we desperately need quality manpower. The estimated manpower for apparel industry by 2010 is 6.62 million, a rise of more than 2 million, compared to 4.58 million in 2003.

Vaghela said that to bridge this gap between demand and supply of skilled workforce, the Government has taken several steps to boost up manpower training for textile and apparel industry. He also said the Ministry is emphasizing for imparting training to semi-skilled and skilled weavers for upgrading their skill and productivity in the area of product development, product diversification, productivity improvement, dyeing technique, and design development on looms.

saying that skilled manpower is the need of the hour, the Minister said to achieve the said target of US$ 50 billion by 2010, we need to train 4 lakh persons per year and called upon the institutions and industry to come forward to contribute for achieving the target.

Speaking on the occasion, the Minister of State for Textiles, EVKS Elangovan said that the key area that requires immediate attention is the manpower training and management of human resources.

NITRA’s two new programs Garment Dyeing, Drycleaning & Finishing Technology and Industrial Environment Technology & Management and  NITRA’s TABlet Series comprising of 15 technical handbooks for garment industry students and professionals were launched.

© CIOL Bureau