New Delhi: Welcoming the general budget 2009-10, Textiles Minister Dayanidhi Maran Tuesday said some more announcements on empowerment of weaker sections and facilities for the growth of medium and small scale enterprises in the sector will be made soon.

"We are going to converge with certain other announcements, particularly empowerment of weaker sections, welfare of workers in the unorganised sector and facilities for the growth of medium and small scale enterprises to utilise fully the assistance under schemes outlined in the budget," Maran told reporters here.

"We have a huge task cut out before us to utilise the provisions of the budget for making our sector go from strength to strength."

In the budget tabled Monday, planned allocation for the textile sector has been increased to Rs.4,500 crore from Rs.4,090 crore in the previous fiscal.

The Technology Upgradation Fund Scheme (TUFS) has been allocated Rs.3,140 crore. The scheme aims to spur modernisation and attract investment in the sector.

The government has proposed to set up a mega cluster in West Bengal, one in Tamil Nadu for handlooms and a powerloom mega cluster in Rajasthan.

Also, mega clusters for carpets will be set up in Srinagar and Mirzapur, Uttar Pradesh, to promote.
"These mega clusters, when operationalised, will generate employment for 50,000 people and attract an investment of approximately Rs.1,400 crore," Maran said.

Textiles Secretary Rita Menon added that the sector had got its due in the budget.

Source: Indo-Asian News Service

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