Lok Sabha Question No. 2066 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2017-07-27
Subject: Use of Technical Textiles
Ministry: TEXTILES
Asked by: K.R.P. PRABAKARAN, PONNUSAMY VENUGOPAL

## USE OF TECHNICAL TEXTILES

2066.  SHRI K.R.P. PRABAKARAN: DR. P. VENUGOPAL:

Will the Minister of TEXTILES वस्त्र मंरी

be pleased to state:

- (a) whether the Government is considering to promote use of technical textiles;
- (b) if  so,  the  details  thereof  and  the  steps  taken/being  taken  by  the  Government  in  this regard;
- (c) whether technical textiles or functional textiles which is considered as a sunrise sector in the country is all set for demand taking off for products such as geo and agro-textiles and if so, the details thereof;
- (d) whether  the  Ministry  of  Textiles  has  held  any  discussions  with  the  Ministries  of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare and Health and Family Welfare in this regard and if so, the details and the outcome thereof; and
- (e) whether  the  Ministry  aims  to  create  awareness,  promote  the  use  of  technical  textile products and to ensure that the usage is mandated in atleast some areas and if so, the details thereof?

## उत्तर

## ANSWER

## वस्त्र      मंरी (श्री अज      )

MINISTER OF STATE FOR TEXTILES (SHRI AJAY TAMTA)

- (a),  (b)  &  (e): Yes  Madam.  Ministry  of  Textiles  has  initiated  a  number  of  schemes  for promoting usage of Technical Textiles. The details of various schemes are as below:-
- (i) Scheme for Growth and Development of Technical Textiles (SGDTT) :SGDTT was launched during the 11 th Five Year Plan in 2007-08 with a fund outlay of  Rs.46.60  Crores.  The  scheme  comprised  of  three  main  components;  Baseline Survey,  Awareness  Campaigns  and  Creation  of  Centres  of  Excellence  (CoEs). Under the scheme 4 Centre of Excellence (COEs) were established. The scheme completed its tenure in 2010-11.
- (ii) Technology Mission on Technical Textiles (TMTT):The scheme was launched in the year 2010-11 with a fund outlay of Rs.200 crore with two mini-missions for a period  of  5  years.  The  scheme  was  further  extended  for  another  two  years  from 2015-16 to 2016-17. The details of missions are as below:-
-  Mini  Mission  I  (MM-I):The  objective  of  MM-I  was  standardization,  creating common  testing  facilities  with  national  /  international  accreditation,  indigenous development of prototypes and maintaining a resource centre with I.T infrastructure.  Under  this  component,  apart  from  upgrading  4  existing  CoEs, 4 new / additional CoEs were established.
-  Mini Mission II (MM-II):The objective of MM-II was to provide support for the development of domestic and export markets for technical textiles. The interventions include support for business start-up; market development support; contract  research  and  development through IITs/Textile Research Associations (TRAs)/Textile Institutes; Scheme for Promoting Usage of Agrotextiles in Rest of India  (Excluding  North  Eastern  States)  and  setting  up  of  Focus  Incubation

Centres  (FIC)  to  provide  technical  support  to  Technical  Textile  Industry.  11 Focus Incubation Centres (FICs) have been sanctioned under MM-II with cost of Rs.59.35  crore.  9  Demonstration  Centres  depicting  the  benefits  and  usage  of Agrotextiles have been set up in various parts of the country.

- (iii) Scheme  for  promoting  usage  of  Agrotextiles  in  North  Eastern  Region:The scheme was implemented for the period from 2012-13 to 2016-17 with total fund outlay of Rs.55 crore to promote and increase the usage of Agrotextiles in agriculture,  horticulture  /  floriculture,  sericulture  and  allied  activities  in  NER. Under  the  scheme  44  Agrotextile  demonstration  centres  have  been  set  up, 3085 persons have been trained and 812 Agrotextile kits have been distributed. The scheme has been further extended for 2 years for the period 2017-18 to 2018-19.

## (iv) Scheme for  Promoting  Usage  of  Geotechnical  Textiles  in  North-Eastern Region:-

The scheme was launched in the 12 th Five Year Plan for the period from 201415  to  2018-19  with  total  outlay  of  Rs.427  crore  to  promote  and  utilize  Geo textiles in development of infrastructure in the North Eastern States in existing / new  projects  in  road,  hill  /  slope  protection,  water  reservoirs  and  river  bank erosion control. Under the scheme, 17 road projects, 13 water reservoir projects and  4  slope  stabilization  projects  at  a  cost  of  Rs.99.66  crore  have  been approved till date.

(c): Yes Madam, due to intervention of Government for promotion and growth of technical textiles sector in the country through implementation of various schemes such as Technology Mission on Technical Textiles (TMTT), Scheme for Promoting Usage of Agrotextiles in North Eastern  Region,  Scheme  for  Promoting  Usage  of  Geotechnical  Textiles  in  North  Eastern Region, the demand of these products has taken off. As per the Baseline Survey of Technical Textile Industry in India, the market size of Technical Textile industry is estimated to be valued at Rs.1,16,217 crore at the rate of 12% CAGR by 2017-18. The details regarding Agrotextiles and Geotechnical Textiles segment are as under:-

| Segment   |   Market size 2007- 08 (in Rs. crore) |   Market size 2012- 13 (in Rs. crore) | Growth (2008- 13) CAGR   | Projected Growth (2013- 16)   |   Market size (E) 2013- 14 (in Rs. crore) |   Market size (P) 2015- 16 (in Rs. crore) |   Market size (P) 2017- 18 (in Rs. crore) |
|-----------|---------------------------------------|---------------------------------------|--------------------------|-------------------------------|-------------------------------------------|-------------------------------------------|-------------------------------------------|
| Agrotech  |                                   553 |                                   826 | ~8%                      | ~12%                          |                                       929 |                                      1191 |                                      1614 |
| Geotech   |                                   185 |                                   683 | ~30%                     | ~13%                          |                                       772 |                                       991 |                                      1275 |

(d): Yes  Madam,  in  order  to  promote  the  usage  of  Technical  Textiles  in  Agriculture  & Health, the Hon'ble Minister of Textiles has held meetings & detailed discussions with Hon'ble Minister of Agriculture on 22 nd March, 2017 and Hon'ble Minister of Health & Family Welfare on 24 th March, 2017.

-  In the Agrotextiles sector, it was emphasized to undertake setting up of 'Agrotextile Demo Projects / Demonstration Centres' in KVKs across the country; incorporation of  Agrotextile  products  like  ground  cover,  mulch  mats,  crop  cover,  shade  net, windshield  net  etc.  in  the  Mission  for  Integrated  Development  of  Horticulture (MIDH); promote the usage of Agrotextiles for protected cultivation through mass awareness and capacity building.
-  In  the  medical  textiles  sector,  emphasis  was  given  to  include  non  woven  and encourage use of man-made fibres and their blends in medical textile products; use of  advance  surgical  dressing  to  reduce  high  incidence  of hospital  acquired infections;  use  of  BIS  Standards  available  on  Medical  Textiles;  classification  of medical  textiles  under  'medical  devices'  rather  than  under  'drugs  and  cosmetics' and to expand the list with more number of medical textile products.