Coimbatore: Apparel exporters in Tirupur have set their sights on making the cluster a ‘zero defect textile manufacturing hub’ in India. To achieve this vision, they have sought government support for a one-time intervention.
Recalling Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s call for making Indian manufacturing sector “zero defect and zero effect” from the ramparts of Red Fort last August, Tirupur Exporters’ Association president Raja M Shanmugham told this correspondent that Tirupur industrial cluster is best suited to implement the initiative.
NIFT-TEA role
Knitwear fashion institute NIFT-TEA, founded by exporters, is already involved in running several projects of the government, including skill development initiatives, with the support of the Centre and state.
“The institute, in our perception is in a unique position to undertake this exercise of making Tirupur cluster a zero defect textile manufacturing hub, albeit with support from all the stakeholders,” Shanmugham said.
A NIFT-TEA study has revealed that at least two lakh employees will need to be upskilled in the Tirupur Apparel cluster. “There is a need to modify the existing skill development scheme guidelines to include “Skill Up gradation” as the focus is now only towards creation of new skilled labour.
“As more than 80 per cent of the industries in Tirupur are categorised as MSME (Micro Small Medium Enterprises), they lack the scale for undertaking efficiency improvement initiative. Even a cursory review of the operation of the units here would reveal that there is huge scope for improving the operational efficiency of MSMEs. These units are not generally keen to take a professional approach because of their size, knowledge levels and capacity to absorb costs,” he said.
“A massive state-funded initiative is the need of the hour to make the cluster a zero defect manufacturing hub. Even a 10 per cent reduction in wastage/ defects would result in a saving of Rs 2,000 crore a year, notwithstanding the additional growth in business volume,” he added.
NIFT-TEA has estimated the upskilling cost at Rs 24 crore.
Source: The Hindu Business Line
