The Tamil Nadu Small Powerloom Export Cloth Manufacturers Association has submitted a memorandum to the textiles ministry and urged to set up business clusters and regular markets in various districts of the country, which has a major weaving industry. They demanded the ministry to assign the funds required for the same in the upcoming union budget.

“The ministry has assured adequate allocation of funds for the same, if state governments came forward and allotted adequate land in the respective districts, for establishing these business clusters and markets,” Appu Chettiar, president of the association said.

The memorandum also added that the union government had reserved certain varieties of fabrics to be produced by the handloom sector many years ago, which was relaxed for 11 varieties of fabrics from the 22 earlier in 1985.

According to the association, the 11 existing varieties reserved for the handloom sector still hampers production in both the powerloom as well as handloom industries, so requested for a review of the existing reservation.

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