Question : PAYMENT TO BANKS BY TEXTILE COMPANIES

(a) whether the number of textile companies which have defaulted in making payments to banks have increased recently, if so, the details thereof and the reasons therefor during the last three years and the current year;

(b) whether there has been a sharp decline in drawback benefits available to the textile companies and if so, the reasons therefor; and

(c) whether uncertainty in the price of raw materials, lack of infrastructure and recession is rendering Indian textile companies less competitiveness, if so, the reaction of the Government thereto?

MINISTER OF STATE (INDEPENDENT CHARGE) IN THE MINISTRY OF TEXTILES (SHRI SANTOSH KUMAR GANGWAR)

(a) & (b): Such information is not maintained by Ministry of Textiles.

(c): Production and exports of textile industry has been growing. In order to strengthen the textile industry in the country, Government has been implementing various policy initiatives and schemes, such as Technology Upgradation Fund Scheme (TUFS), Schemes for the development of the Powerloom Sector, Schemes for Technical textiles, Scheme for Integrated Textile Parks (SITP), Integrated Skill Development Scheme (ISDS), National Handloom Develop- ment Programme (NHDP), Yarn Supply Scheme etc. All these measures are in the direction of modernisation of the textile industry and to improve its competitiveness.