Chairman of Southern India Mills’ Association Ravi Sam met Minister for Commerce and Industry and Textiles Piyush Goyal in New Delhi on Tuesday and sought measures to improve textile exports.
Mr. Ravi Sam said he discussed in detail with the Minister the need for free trade agreements, reduction of hank yarn obligation, and the need to remove import duty on cotton.
The need to renegotiate bilateral agreements with neighbouring countries, electricity related matters, and revamping the Handloom Reservation Act were also discussed.
The Minister heard about the issues that were posing challenges to the industry and has promised required action, he said.
Mr. Ravi Sam appealed to Mr. Goyal, who is also the Minister for Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution, to provide three godowns of Food Corporation of India near Muthanankulam, which are vacant, to Coimbatore Corporation to be converted into a theatre for contemporary arts and performing arts theatre.
Air connectivity
On Wednesday, Mr. Ravi Sam met the Minister for Civil Aviation Jyotiraditya Scindia and sought better air connectivity to Coimbatore. The Minister said that he would immediately look into connecting Coimbatore through Air India and Vistara flights and said that direct international flights would be permitted after runway expansion, he said.
