MR Megawide Cebu Airport Corporation (GMCAC), a JV between GMR group and Manila-based Megawide Construction

The Indian textile industry, employing over 105 million people, has been pleading for several urgent measures relating to Technology Upgradation Fund (TUF) scheme, levies on man-made fibre duties, enhanced incentives under Focus Market Scheme to compensate partially, the disadvantages in the tariff rates for Indian textile products prevailing in various countries till the FTAs are finalised.

The current budget for 2015-16 is considered as growth oriented by various experts, but I think for textile Industry, it is not very promising budget. The Government´s vision of growing Indian textile and apparel industry to US$ 220 billion by 2020 needs more support and schemes from government. Unfortunately major demands of Industries have not been met in current budget.

Since the government has included textile and textile equipment manufacturers under the ´Make In India´ programme, there were high expectations for help from the budget for achieving its high potential for increasing industrial production, generating additional employment and improving export earnings. Budget brings no cheer to either of the industry.

The latest ´Textile Pipeline´ from PCI Fibres offers in 11 pages a highly focused review in the form of text, charts and tables of the Indian textiles economy; an economy which has been experiencing relatively disappointing growth among its local consumers; that is, until 2014. Following a bounce-back in per capita fibre demand of nearly 10 per cent in 2009, growth then slowed year by year down to just 2 per cent in 2013, coming back strongly in 2014 by nearly 8 per cent.

Exports of knitwear from Pakistan increased by 10.19 per cent from $1.306 billion last year to $1.44 billion for the first 7 months (July-January) of the current financial year. Meanwhile, The International Labour Organisation (ILO) and Pakistan Textile Exporters Association (PTEA) have signed an agreement to promote decent work in the garment and textile industry in Faisalabad.

PurThread Technologies, maker of next generation antimicrobial fibres and yarns, announces a partnership with Burlington, a global diversified provider of textile solutions across performance and specialty apparel fabrics, active wear, advanced uniform fabrics, and technical fabrics, to provide antimicrobial and anti-odor protection to the global healthcare, industrial, and apparel markets.

RSG, located in Bietigheim-Bissingen near Stuttgart, has been building self-developed special machinery for fully or semi-automated processing of textiles for over 30 years now. All facilities and machines are adapted to the products and processes of its clients. As a matter of course, also project specific software is developed on its premises.

Transport Corporation of India Ltd, India´s leading integrated supply chain and logistics solutions´ provider, launched its cargo container shipping service at Mundra Port, Gujarat to Kochi, Kerala. The new acquisition called MV TCI Arjun will mark the beginning of coastal shipping services by TCI in the western coast.