The Textile industry is one of the largest source of employment generation in the country with over 45 million people employed directly and another 6 crore people in allied sectors, including a large number of women and rural population.

Government has launched several important schemes for employment generation and providing livelihood in handloom, handicraft, powerloom for all the segments of the textile sector.

1. SAMARTH—Skill development and capacity building scheme.
2. Amended Technology Up-gradation Fund Scheme (ATUFS) for technology upgradation of the textile industry, purpose being to attract investment and boost employment.
3. National Handloom Development Programme, Comprehensive Handloom Cluster Development Scheme, Handloom  Weaver Comprehensive Welfare Scheme and Yarn Supply Schemesfor promotion of handloom sector and employment generation .
4. Comprehensive Handicraft ClusterDevelopment Scheme.
5. PowerTex India for powerloom weavers.
6. Silk Samagra—an integrated Scheme for development of silk industry.

• vii. Integrated Wool Development Programme.

8. Scheme for Integrated Textile Parks.

Scheme for Rebate of State and Central Taxes and Levies (RoSCTL) was recently approved by the Government to rebate all embedded state as well as central taxes/levies up to 31^st March 2020 to promote ease of doing business and avoid procedural delays, rebate of taxes /levies embedded in manufacturing. This applies to Made-Ups and Apparels.

The package is being implemented pan India and will benefit exporters including that of Tamil Nadu.

This information was given by the Union Minister of Textiles, SmritiZubinIrani, in a written reply in the Lok Sabha today.

***

MM/ SB