Lok Sabha Question No. 1791 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2026-02-10
Subject: Meerut as Industrial Hub
Ministry: COMMERCE AND INDUSTRY
Asked by: Shri Arun Govil

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF COMMERCE & INDUSTRY DEPARTMENT FOR PROMOTION OF INDUSTRY AND INTERNAL TRADE

## LOK SABHA

UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 1791.

TO BE ANSWERED ON TUESDAY, THE 10 TH  FEBRUARY, 2026.

## MEERUT AS INDUSTRIAL HUB

## 1791.  SHRI ARUN GOVIL:

## Will the Minister of COMMERCE AND INDUSTRY be pleased to state: वाणिज्य एवं उद्योग मंत्री

- (a) whether Meerut is a globally recognised centre for sports goods, gems and jewellery as well as book publishing and these items are exported to various countries, and whether the Commonwealth Games are proposed to be hosted in India in the year 2030, which is likely to give a significant boost to the sports industry, if so, the details thereof;
- (b) the  manner  in  which  the  Export  Promotion  Mission  supports  India's  export competitiveness and assists exporters in global markets;
- (c) the  manner  in  which  the  Export  Promotion  Council  provides  support  to  the exporters based in Meerut; an
- (d) the  amount  of  funds  spent  by  the  Union  Government  in  Meerut  for  the implementation of the said Mission during the last five years; and
- (e) the efforts being made by the Government to ensure the availability of British will  and  Kashmiri  willow,  which  can  be  used  for  manufacturing  high-quality cricket bats?

## ANSWER

## वाणिज्य एवं उद्योग मंत्रालय में राज्य मंत्री ( श्री णिणिन प्रसाद ) THE MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF COMMERCE & INDUSTRY (SHRI JITIN PRASADA)

- (a): Meerut is a recognised centre for the manufacturing of sports goods, gems and jewellery as well as book publishing in the country. The city has a long-standing ecosystem of manufacturers, and a part of the sports goods manufactured in Meerut is exported to various countries.

Meerut is a manufacturing and export hub for sports goods, such as Athletic Goods (General Exercise Equipment),  Cricket Bats, Protective Equipment for Cricket,  Table  Tennis,  Boxing  Equipment,  Sportswear, Carrom Board, Nets, Cricket & Hockey Balls, and Table Tennis Accessories, with exports to several countries including the UK, USA, Australia, South Africa and EU nations, largely through MSMEs and merchant exporters. As reported by the Sports Goods

Export Promotion  Council,  approximately  50  members  exported  sports goods  worth ₹1,150.48 crore in Financial Year 2023-24 and ₹902.74 crore in Financial Year 2024-25.

The  National  Council  of  Applied  Economic  Research,  in  its  October  2020 'Cluster Mapping Study of the Gems and Jewellery Sector in India', identified Meerut as a potential gems and jewellery cluster, with 353 units employing 899 workers.

India is hosting the Commonwealth Games in 2030. Hosting of the Games is expected  to  provide  a  significant  impetus  to  the  sports  ecosystem  in  the country,  including  the  development  of  sports  infrastructure,  enhancement  of manufacturing of sports goods, and growth of related industries.

- (b): The Export Promotion Mission (EPM), approved by the Cabinet on 12.11.2025, is a flagship initiative announced in the Union Budget 2025-26 to strengthen India's export competitiveness, particularly for MSMEs, first-time exporters, and labour- intensive sectors, with a total outlay of ₹25,060 crore for the period FY 2025-26 to FY 2030-31.

The Mission represents a strategic shift from multiple fragmented schemes to a single, outcome-based and adaptive framework capable of responding swiftly to global trade challenges and evolving exporter needs.

The EPM is anchored in a collaborative framework involving the Department of Commerce, Ministry of MSME, Ministry of Finance, and other key stakeholders, including financial institutions, Export Promotion Councils, Commodity Boards, industry associations, and State Governments.

The Mission will operate through two integrated sub-schemes:

NIRYAT  PROTSAHAN - focuses on  improving  access  to  affordable  trade finance    for  MSMEs  through  a  range  of  instruments  such  as  interest subvention,  export    factoring,  collateral  guarantees,  credit  cards  for  ecommerce exporters, and credit  enhancement support for diversification into new markets.

NIRYAT  DISHA-  focuses  on  non-financial  enablers  that  enhance  market readiness  and  competitiveness,  including  export  quality  and  compliance support,  assistance for international branding,  packaging, and participation in trade fairs, export warehousing and logistics, inland transport reimbursements, and trade  intelligence and capacity-building initiatives.

- (c): Presently, there are fourteen Export Promotion Councils under the administrative  control  of  the  Department  of  Commerce.  These  Councils  are registered  as  non-profit  organisations  under  the  Companies  Act  /  Societies Registration Act and perform both advisory and executive functions. Their roles

and functions are guided by the Foreign Trade Policy, 2009-14. These Councils also act as registering authorities for exporters under the said Policy.

Some of the major EPCs providing support to exporters in Meerut are:-

- i.  The Gems and Jewellery Export Promotion Council (GJEPC) organises periodic  promotional  visits  to  Meerut  to  engage  with  members  of  the trade, apprise them of industry developments, and disseminate information on policy measures.
- ii. Sports goods and toys exporters based in Meerut are supported through the  Sports  Goods  &  Toys  Export  Promotion  Council  (SGEPC),  which provides assistance in market development, trade promotion activities, dissemination of market intelligence, guidance  on standards  and certifications, representation of exporters' issues with the Government, and facilitation of new cluster formation. The Council acts as an interface between exporters and the Government.
- iii.  The UP Export Promotion Council established by the Government of UP in  2016  works  as  a  facilitating  Organisation  to  the  Export  Promotion Bureau UP. In accordance with the 15 identified export prominent sectors Council has constituted sectoral panel committees of identified sectors to enhance, promote, strengthen the export of the concerned sectors as well as to provide handholding support to  the exporters of these sectors.
4. (d): Funds under the erstwhile Market Access Initiative (MAI) Scheme, which is now subsumed under the Export Promotion Mission (EPM), are scheme-based and sector-specific  and  are  not  allocated  or  maintained  on  a  city-wise  basis. Exporters  in  Meerut  have  benefitted  from  the  Scheme/Mission  through approved activities implemented at the national and sectoral level during the last five years.
5. (e): British  willow  is  imported  by  manufacturers  as  per  requirement,  subject  to applicable import and plant quarantine regulations. However, the availability of Kashmir willow is restricted under the Willow Prohibition Act, 2000 of Jammu & Kashmir.  Under  this  Act,  movement  of  Kashmir  willow  outside  Jammu  & Kashmir is not permitted.

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