The Centre has been implementing various policy initiatives and programmes for development of textiles and handicrafts, stated Minister of State for Textiles Ajay Tamta in a written reply in the Lok Sabha on Thursday.
Government has been implementing various measures for the textile sector, particularly for technology upgradation, infrastructure creation and skill development, said the minister.
The key schemes include Amended Technology Upgradation Funds Scheme (ATUFS), PowerTex India Scheme. Scheme for Integrated Textile Parks, SAMARTH- scheme for capacity building in Textile Sector, Silk Samagra- integrated silk development scheme, North Eastern Region Textile Promotion Scheme (NERTPS), National Handicraft Development Programme (NHDP) and Comprehensive Handicrafts Cluster Development Scheme (CHCDS), he stated.
The Government also launched a special package to boost investment, employment and exports in the garmenting and made-up sector, the minister said.
The special package was designed to create upto one crore jobs, and boost exports by US $ 31 billion and attract investment of Rs. 80,000 crores in 3 years. So far, it has generated additional exports of Rs. 5,728 crore and additional investments of Rs. 25,345 crore, he added.
Under the ATUFS, an amount of Rs. 17,822 crore was approved for providing one-time capital subsidy to eligible machinery for seven years from 2015-16 to 2021-22 (including committed liability of Rs. 12,671 crore and Rs. 5,151 crore for new cases). Rs. 8,078.94 crore has so far been released under the scheme.
The Government has set up an Apparel and Garment Making Centre (consisting of 3 Units installed each with 100 stitching machineries) at Bodhjungnagar, Agartala under the NERTPS at a total cost of Rs.18.18 crore.
Under NERTPS, a silk printing unit has also been set up at Agartala at a cost of Rs.3.71 crore with a capacity to print and process about 1.5 lakh meters of silk fabric per annum.
To promote handloom sector in Tripura, Government sanctioned 3 Block level clusters with Rs. 4.28 crore, 44 marketing events with Rs.2.41 crore, 9 Mudra loans (Rs.3 lakh) and enrolled 9,367 weavers and artisans under Health Insurance Scheme and 2,718 weavers and artisans under Mahatma Gandhi Bunkar Bima Yojana, the minister said.

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