The Ministry of Textiles organised a Northern Zone Stakeholder Consultation on the Union Budget 2026-27 in New Delhi today. The consultation saw participation from over 200 stakeholders, including representatives from State Governments, industry bodies, entrepreneurs, academia, textile research associations, Export Promotion Councils, and award-winning weavers and artisans.
The consultation forms part of the Ministry’s ongoing efforts to deliberate on key schemes and initiatives announced in the Union Budget 2026-27. It aimed to facilitate structured dialogue on implementation modalities, identify operational challenges, and chart a collaborative roadmap for effective and timely roll-out of the proposed interventions.
The consultation was structured into breakout sessions to enable focused and scheme-specific deliberations. The sessions covered the following priority areas:
- Integrated Programme for the Textile Sector, including the Textile Expansion and Employment (TEEM) Scheme, Tex-Eco Initiative, and Mega Textile Parks
- National Fibre Mission
- SAMARTH 2.0
- National Handloom and Handicraft Programme (NHHP) and Mahatma Gandhi Gram Swaraj Initiative (MGGSI)
Setting the context, Asit Gopal, Special Secretary and Financial Adviser, Ministry of Textiles, highlighted the importance of sustained engagement with States and stakeholders to ensure that the proposed schemes are responsive to field realities and implementation challenges. He noted that collaborative planning and convergence across institutions will be critical to achieving the intended outcomes of the Budget initiatives.
The consultation aligns with the Hon’ble Prime Minister’s vision articulated during the Post-Budget Webinar, where he described the Union Budget 2026-27 as a strong framework for accelerating India’s journey towards “Viksit Bharat.” He emphasised the need to “Build More, Produce More, Connect More and Export More,” underscoring the importance of strengthening domestic production while expanding India’s footprint in global markets.
Dr. M. Beena, Development Commissioner (Handlooms), urged stakeholders to actively share field-level challenges and practical solutions across various components of the proposed schemes. She noted that such consultations are critical for aligning policy intent with ground-level execution and strengthening the resilience and sustainability of the handloom ecosystem.
Amrit Raj, Development Commissioner (Handicrafts), highlighted the Hon’ble Prime Minister’s vision of taking “gaon to global,” with a strong emphasis on quality across the value chain. She underlined the need to strengthen quality in production processes, product design and finishing, as well as supply chains and logistics, to enhance the global competitiveness of Indian textiles and handicrafts.
In her concluding address, Neelam Shami Rao, Secretary, Ministry of Textiles, underscored that India’s textile industry is poised to grow to USD 350 billion by 2030, with exports expected to see significant expansion. She emphasised the need to drive innovation, strengthen convergence across schemes, and build a robust ecosystem that enhances cost competitiveness and supports sustainable growth.
Highlighting that the proposed schemes are focused on boosting manufacturing, employment generation, and export competitiveness, she stressed the importance of promoting innovation across value chains, positioning “India Handmade” strongly in global markets, and advancing the creative economy.
She further noted that enhancing the credibility of Indian textiles through a sustained focus on quality, sustainability, and innovation remains paramount. She assured that the valuable suggestions received during the consultation would be carefully examined and appropriately incorporated into the design and implementation of the forthcoming schemes.
The consultation concluded with a shared commitment among stakeholders to work collaboratively towards strengthening the textile sector, enhancing livelihoods, generating employment, and positioning “India Handmade” as a global leader in textiles and traditional crafts.
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