Haryana Textile Policy 2017 fails to impress the MSME sector

New Delhi, Apr 6 (KNN) The Haryana Government recently launched the Textile Policy 2017 aiming to make Haryana a global textile manufacturing hub by providing incentives on setting up of new units. However, the MSMEs are critical of the policy and don’t see it very impressive for the industry.

Talking to KNN, Animesh Saxena, MD Neetee Clothing also a CEC Member of FISME compared the Haryana Textile Policy 2017 with the policies that exists in other states. He said “It is not a very attractive or a game changing policy, it fails to address the issue of the apparel industry. Of late the policies in Jharkhand, Madhya Pradesh, Gujarat and Andhra Pradesh are far more lucrative “.

Cost of land being a prime concern, Saxena added “Though in the policy the Government is offering incentives on land and electricity but that is only in Zone C and D, which is almost 100-200 kms away from the main belts. For a small MSME exporter, its isn’t very viable to setup something in the interiors where there is no supply chain or man power available, Zone C and D lacks basic ecosystem”.

Government's claim of targeting to generate employment also seem to fall flat, Saxena opined.

“Most of the workers in this sector are migrants and the cost of living is very high in the state” he said.

Highlighting the shortcomings of the policy Saxena expressed that the policy fails to address the minimum wage issue. “The minimum wage in Haryana is very high as compared to other states. The government must offer wage subsidy for the apparel industry in the region” exhorted Animesh.

He further asserted that the Government should have promoted apparel zones in Gurgaon Faridabad area with pre-built sheds for small scale exporters, cluster of units in one zone to facilitate the appropriate ecosystem and built proper treatment plants to achieve the outcomes it claims to achieve with the introduced policy. (KNN/ DA)