Textile Ministry to Impart Skill Training under Samarth Scheme

4 lakh people in 18 states will receive training under the Samarth – Textile Sector Capacity Building Scheme, which was approved by the Ministry of Textiles on the 14th of August, 2019. (SCBTS). 16 states signed MoUs, however Jammu & Kashmir and Odisha did not attend the summit. 

Textiles are covered from start to finish in the curriculum, except for spinning and weaving, which are excluded. This encompasses everything from clothing and accessories to knitwear and metal crafts.

CCTV recording, a dedicated call centre, a mobile app-based management information system, and on-line monitoring are all part of the training programme. All of these people will go on to work in the textile industry when they complete their training.

The Mudra plan may offer extra financial services benefits to those who are not in the business (It is to be noted that about three-fourths of workers in the textiles sector are women and 70 percent of the beneficiaries of the Mudra loan are women).

It is imperative that the North Eastern nations prioritise the silk and jute sectors.

Scheme for Capacity Building in Textile Sector (SCBTS)

The scheme, also known as Samarth, was launched in 2017 to address the skills gap in the textile industry and to ensure a steady supply of skilled manpower (total 10.00 lakh persons – 9 lakhs in the organised sector and 1 lakh in the traditional sector) for the entire value chain of textiles in the organised sector, except spinning and weaving, for a three-year period from 2017-18 to 2019-20.

Aim: To prepare young people for gainful and long-term employment in the textile industry.

Objectives:

1. To provide demand-driven, placement-oriented National Skills Qualifications Framework (NSQF) compatible skilling programmes to motivate and enhance the industry’s efforts to create jobs in the organised textile and associated industries, excluding spinning and weaving.
2. In the traditional areas of handlooms, handicrafts, sericulture, and jute, to promote skilling and skill upgradation.
3. To enable all parts of society in the country to have a sustainable livelihood, whether through wage work or self-employment.

Impact of the Decision:

The textiles industry in India has a big potential for creating jobs. This project will assist the ministry in extending its assistance to the state agency and making them equal partners in fostering a spirit of national development in order to enhance the textiles sector and its workforce.

Challenges Faced by the Textile Industry 

1. Large Amount of Unskilled Labour – Though industry has a low cost of labour, the majority of its workers are unskilled, making it less productive than other south Asian countries.
2. Poor Infrastructure – In different stages of the value chain, outdated technical and low levels of modernization have a negative impact on quality, cost, and distribution, resulting in failure to reach global standards in a highly competitive export market. Despite the fact that India is a centre for IT services, they are not properly integrated in the textile industry to increase production.
3. High Power Tariff – The most significant cost in the entire supply chain is power. India’s output is hampered by high electricity costs and irregular supply.
4. Low Capital Investment – Mega investments in the Indian textile industry have been discouraged due to a lack of scale and the fragmented nature of the industry. Despite the fact that 100% FDI is allowed under the automatic route, the industry’s unattractiveness has resulted in low FDI inflows. These flaws were a barrier to making the sector more globally competitive.
5. Strict Tax Norms – The textile business faces significant challenges as a result of tight and changing government policies at both the state and federal levels. The GST (Goods and Service Tax) tax system makes clothing more expensive.
6. Competition from Neighbouring Countries – China, Bangladesh, and Sri Lanka are aggressive competitors in the low-cost garment sector. Furthermore, in the worldwide market, tariff and non-tariff obstacles, as well as quotas, are providing a significant threat to India’s textile industry.
7. Social Issues – Social issues such as child labour, women’s safety, and personal safety norms are also challenges for India’s textile sector.

Conclusion: 

Competition from decentralised, small-scale enterprises has kept many areas of the textile industry from growing, despite the abundance of raw resources. The Indian textile industry needs the support of both the national and state governments in order to compete in the global market. The Skill India and Make-in-India initiatives of the Indian government are helping the textile industry acquire the necessary manpower and a market for its products.