INDIAN COTTON TEXTILE INDUSTRY

§                     The Indian Textile industry occupies an important place in the economy of the country because of its contribution to the industrial output, employment generation and   foreign exchange earnings.

§                     At present, the contribution of the textile industry to GDP is about 4 percent. The textile industry provides direct employment to about more than 35 million people and is the second largest employment provider in India after agriculture.

§                     Of this, textile industry alone accounts for 29 million and the apparel industry accounts for balance 6 million people.

Source: Ministry of Textiles

With exports as well as domestic sector growing rapidly the Textile and Apparel Industry is expected to provide direct employment to 40 million people by year 2010.

§                     Size of the Indian Textile and Apparel Industry is estimated to be US $ 85 bn comprising US $ 45 bn  in domestic and balance in  exports by 2010.

§                     The contribution of this industry to gross export earnings is about 17% and it adds less than 2 % to the gross import bill of the country in 2004-05.

§                     The textile industry is a self -reliant industry from the production of raw materials to the delivery of final products with considerable value addition at each stage of processing.

§                     The industry was delicensed in 1991 and under the current policy no prior government approval is necessary to set up textile mills. The per capita cloth availability in the country has increased from 22.87 square meters in 1991-92 to 33.51 square meters in 2004-05.

                    PER CAPITA AVAILABILITY  OF CLOTH  
                                                                                                           (In Sq. Mtrs)

By O/o  the Textile Commissioner