India is pioneering sustainable textiles contributing to lesser carbon footprint: Piyush Goyal

Union Minister of Textiles, Commerce and Industry Piyush Goyal said that India is pioneering sustainable textiles contributing to a lesser carbon footprint and promoting a circular economy.

The Minister said that the Indian textile industry has made a mark in the world with its innovative and attractive products during his address at the inaugural function of the 69th India International Garment Fair (IIGF) at Greater Noida, Uttar Pradesh today.

The government has identified textiles as a high-emission-intensity sector and asked the industry to prepare a roadmap for reducing emission intensity and carbon dioxide by 2030 along with the expected financial implications.

India wants to achieve carbon neutrality by 2050 and keep global warming below +1.5 degrees Celsius. Globally, the textile and garment sector accounts for 6-8% of total carbon emissions or some 1.7 billion tonnes in carbon emissions per year.

The Minister highlighted that the Pradhan Mantri Mega Integrated Textile Region and Apparel (PM MITRA) Park is being established across 7 states of the country with the objective of promoting India’s textile sector in a significant manner.

“PM MITRA Parks will lead to a reduction of logistic costs due to cluster-based approach of manufacturing and production of quality products with appropriate testing facilities,” he said.

He also said that the locational advantages of the PM MITRA Parks will help the units in these Parks to cater well to domestic demand as well as exports.

Goyal emphasized that our countrymen deserve the best quality of garments and this should be ensured by all the stakeholders.
He encouraged the industry to focus on quality and test their products to comply with quality standards.

The Minister also motivated the youth to innovate and develop new technologies to facilitate the production of better-quality products and said the IIGF must focus on enhancing quality and professionalism in the textile sector.