The Solapur Garment Manufacturers Association (SGMA) recently urged the Union government to frame a new textile policy that would build India as garment sourcing hub for the whole world. As per SGMA, the new textile policy should promote entrepreneurship in the garment manufacturing sector. It should provide new units with loans of up to Rs 2 crore with interest-free provision for the first three years and subsequent three years with a subsidised interest rate of 4 per cent per annum. This will make them more competitive.

SGMA also urged the government to employ unskilled labor in the industry. It should introduce an on-job training incentive scheme wherein an incentive of Rs 3,500 per labour per month is provided for a period of initial six months.

Further, a provision should be made for a single window clearance system for setting up garment/ textile units and a single nodal officer must make sure that all the licenses and permission are be given within 15 days from the date of application.

The association also urged the government to declare Solapur as the India’s Uniform Manufacturing Zone which would make it one of the world’s first cities to have unique uniform sourcing hub.