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Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal has said that the government is considering to roll out the production-linked incentive (PLI) scheme for the apparel sector to boost domestic manufacturing and exports. He said that discussions on the same are underway between the textiles ministry, the department for promotion of industry and internal trade (DPIIT) and Niti Aayog. He noted that the government has announced the PLI scheme with an outlay of Rs 1.97 lakh crore for over a dozen sectors, including man-made fibre, technical textiles, white goods, medical devices, and automobiles and auto components.

The minister also said that the textiles exports are increasing at a healthy rate and the exports may reach $100 billion (Rs 8 lakh crore) in the next five years from the current about $44 billion. The textiles industry is also looking at doubling the domestic production to Rs 20 lakh crore in the next five years. He said this will help in creating job opportunities, attract investments, promote startups and MSMEs.

Talking about any plan to extend the waiver of customs duty on cotton imports beyond September 30, Goyal said that ‘cotton textile prices are easing and I do not think there is a need to extend it beyond September, but if required, we may extend it for a month’. On the Mega Integrated Textile Region and Apparel (PM MITRA) parks scheme, he said that several states, including Tamil Nadu, have put up allocations to set up Mega Integrated Textile Region and Apparel parks and the ministry is assessing those applications.