The Textiles Committee has been established under the Textiles Committee Act, 1963, (No. 41 of 1963), of the Indian Parliament. It replaced the erstwhile Cotton Textiles Fund Committee, constituted under the Cotton Textiles Fund Ordinance, which was promulgated by section 72 of the Government of India Act, 1935. This ordinance provided for the establishment of the Cotton Textiles Fund from the levy of a cess of three per cent on the ex-mill prices of cloth and yarn exported and for the setting up of the Cotton Textiles Fund Committee to administer the Fund. The Fund was to be used for supervising the export of cloth and yarn, and increasing the same of cloth and yarn abroad and generally for the development of technical education and research relating to the cotton textile industry.
Among the achievements of the Cotton Textiles Fund Committee, since its formation, it deserves to be mentioned that substantial assistance was rendered to the establishments of various Textile Research Associations like ATIRA, SITRA, BTRA, NITRA and the formation of the Cotton Textiles Export Promotion Council (Texprocil). For the first time, a scheme for the inspection of Cotton Textiles, especially for export was formulated and put into operation.
In furtherance of the functions of the Cotton Textiles Fund Committee to supervise the export of cloth and yarn, a scheme for inspection of cotton textiles meant for export, popularly known as ‘ITEX’, was introduced on a voluntary basis in the year 1954. A year later, the factual inspection scheme was also introduced on the basis of the ITEX inspection scheme to know factually the quality of material inspected in each case.
With the enactment of the Textiles Committee Act, 1963 the cotton Textiles Fund Ordinance was replaced and the Textiles Committee was established as a statutory body for ensuring the quality of textiles and textile machinery and for looking after matter connected therewith. The functions of the Committee are to ensure by such measures, as it thinks fit, standard qualities of textiles, both for internal market and for export, and the manufacture and use of standard qualities of textile machinery. The Committee has, in its ambit a vast range of functions and activities like scientific, technological and economic research, export promotion, inspection, testing, establishment of laboratories and test houses, collection of statistics for market study and research and rendering advice on all matters relating to the development of textile industry and production of textile machinery.
The Committee consists of a Chairman, nominated by the Government of India, the Textile Commissioner,who is the ex-officio Vice Chairman and 21 other members comprising senior Government Officers and prominent persons from the textile industry and trade. The Member Secretary of the Committee is the Chief Executive of the organization. The Headquarter of the Committee is at Mumbai with 29 Regional Offices covering all important textiles production and export centers in the country.
After the liberalization of Indian economy, Committee has transformed itself from the role of regulator to that of a facilitator, enjoying the goodwill of textile trade and industry. Compulsory inspection was removed and in search of new dimensions Committee has emerged in diversified sectors such as Quality inspection, commercial testing, Total Quality Management (TQM) consultancy, Cluster Development Programmes (CDP),etc. At present the Committee has Export Promotion and Quality Assurance division (EP & QA), Laboratories, Market Research division, TQM division, CDP cell, Integrated Skill Development Scheme (ISDS) division.
Acting as a facilitator, the Committee acts as ‘a one stop service provider’ to the textile trade, industry and other stakeholders’ including state governments. It is the only organisation in the country to provide HS classification of textile items, star rating of ginning and pressing factories and promoting hand-woven products through Handloom mark Scheme. The EP &QA division of Committee is the India’s first ISO 17020 accredited third party inspection body in the country. Textiles Committee has recently received Excellence Award” at Global Cotton Conference for successfully organizing a Quality Certification Programme for Indian Ginning Mills under Star rating of Ginning & Pressing scheme and assist in building clean cotton image for the Indian Cotton. As part of bringing quality standards in the management systems, the Committee rolled itself in the area of providing Total Quality Management consultancy to the textile industries in the country and so far provided services to more than 500 textile units.
“National Household Survey: Market for Textile and Clothing (MTC)”, is the unique study of its kind in the country organized by Textiles Committee. Textiles Committee has recently ventured into the Intellectual Property Rights (IPR) protection activities by facilitating the stakeholders to register some of the unique textiles under Geographical Indications Act. Recently Textiles Committee has taken up research on issues pertaining to globalization and World Trade Organisation (WTO), Non-tariff Barriers (NTBs), Product level Competitiveness analysis in international market, Trade Related Capacity Building (TRCB), Post GI Initiatives for Brand Promotion and Containment of Infringement.
Textiles Committee is offering regulatory and nonregulatory testing services to trade and industry through its 17 laboratories including 9 eco-laboratories besides engaged in R & D activities and development of test methods. Textiles Committee has been actively participating in various committees of Bureau of India Standard (BIS) in formulation of test standards. With the advent of new technologies, Textiles Committee has implemented and extended the services of Laboratory Information Management System (LIMS) to its valued customers. LIMS is a computer based solution providing, streamlined workflow automation and management in the laboratory. Textiles Committee’s 14 laboratories have been accredited with ISO 17025 by NABL and extending its valuable consultancy to set up test houses to stakeholders.
The Integrated Skill Development Scheme (ISDS) and Cluster Development Programme (CDP) initiated in the textile sector are the other important services offered by Committee. The growth and development achieved through the cluster activities has set a model in the country. With all these services to the trade and industry over the years, Textiles Committee is celebrating its Golden Jubilee Year in 2013 with its assured support to the trade and industry in the coming years also.
List of Secretary's of the Textiles Committee (Click here)