The textile industry especially garment and fabric sections has witnessed 15 per cent increase in women employees in the last five years and double the rate in Gujarat. According to industry experts, women are attracted to textile industry as it provides them with better work environment, consistent income and other incentives by employers.
Confederation of Indian Textile Industry (CITI), said around 3.5 crore people are working in textile industry in India, of which nearly 2 crore are women. In the last five years, the industry has seen growth of over 15 per cent in women employment. In Tamil Nadu, there are few companies which employ only women, CITI secretary, D K Nair, said.
According to rough estimates, close to 90 lakh people are working in textile industry in Gujarat of which 45 lakh to 50 lakh are women. Around 80 per cent of the women are employed in garment sector followed by fabric and other sectors in the industry. Chandan Chatterjee, director, Centre for Entrepreneurship Development, Gujarat said a recent study identified that some 10,000 women are involved in stitching garments in and around Ahmedabad itself.
Many companies have set up skill development centres wherein women in large numbers are being trained.
Bhavin Parikh, CEO, Globe Textiles said that their new unit set up in Apparel Park in Khokhra, more than 60 per cent of employees are women. Globe Textiles also runs a training centre wherein more than 50 per cent women enroll for skill development. There are several women who are working with them for more than seven years.
Currently, leading textile player Arvind Ltd has 3,753 women on its roll. In the last five years, number of women employees in Arvind Ltd has increased by more than 1,300. Textile industry is second only to agriculture in providing employment.
