The South India Garment Association (SIGA) has requested members of Parliament from Bangalore to represent them and help save the garment industry.

In a letter to Ananth Kumar, DV Sadanand Gowda and PC Mohan, who represent Bangalore South, Bangalore North and Bangalore Central constituencies respectively, SIGA said there is a huge scope for further development of readymade garment industry in rural area and in the outskirts of Bangalore city creating numerous jobs for women and youth.

“But it (the industry) requires continuous support and encouragement from you being proud member of union government,” SIGA honorary secretary, Anurag Singhla and chairman-taxation Kundan Jain said in the letter.

Referring to the newly imposed excise duty on garments priced over Rs 1,000, SIGA representatives said presently the garment industry is passing through a very rough weather and the levy of excise duty will further impact the industry.

They said the newly imposed excise duty will adversely affect manufacturing activities in Bangalore which is home to thousands of small and medium garment units that provide employment to lakhs of people.

Citing earlier instances of excise duty imposition on branded garments, SIGA said, it was imposed in 2002 and was removed in 2004. But during this two-year period, many small and medium garment manufacturers closed leading to huge unemployment, particularly of women.

Again in 2011, the excise duty was re-imposed only to be removed two years later in 2013 due to its negative impact. During this period, many manufacturers slowed down their production.

Similar to agriculture in rural area, garment industry generates largest employment in urban area, and hence this industry needs to be encouraged to fulfil prime minister’s vision of Start up India, SIGA said.