ÿþ<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"> <html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml"><!-- InstanceBegin template="/Templates/masterpage.dwt.asp" codeOutsideHTMLIsLocked="false" --> <head> <link rel="stylesheet" type="text/css" href="css/style.css" /> <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=iso-8859-1" /> <!-- InstanceBeginEditable name="doctitle" --> <title>INDIAN WOOLLEN MILL'S FEDERATION</title> <!-- InstanceEndEditable --> <!-- InstanceBeginEditable name="head" --> <style type="text/css"> <!-- .style3 { font-weight: bold; color: #000000; } .style4 {font-weight: bold} --> </style> <!-- InstanceEndEditable --> <style type="text/css"> <!-- .style1 {color: #666666} .style2 {color: #000000} --> </style> </head> <body topmargin="0"> <table width="780" border="0" align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" bgcolor="#DEE3EF"> <tr> <td valign="top"><table width="100%" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0"> <tr> <td colspan="3" valign="top"><img src="images/main_header2.gif" width="780" height="139" /></td> </tr> <tr> <td height="22" colspan="3" align="left" valign="middle" background="images/TITLE.gif"><strong> &nbsp;<span class="style1">&nbsp;<span class="style2" style="font-size:13pt; font-weight:bolder">INDIAN WOOLLEN MILL'S FEDERATION</span></span>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;<a href="index.html">&nbsp;<span class="normalText">Home</span></a></td> </tr> <tr> <td width="20%" height="377" valign="top"><table width="100%" border="0" cellpadding="2" cellspacing="0"> <tr> <td align="center" bgcolor="#DEE3EF" height="10px"></td> </tr> <tr> <td align="center" valign="top" bordercolor="#FFFFFF" background="Templates/Drag%20to%20a%20file%20to%20choose%20it." bgcolor="#DEE3EF"><span class="normalTextBold style4"><a href="aboutus.html"><img src="images/about%20us.gif" width="80" height="75" border="2" class="imgBorder" /><br /> About Us </a></span></td> </tr> <tr> <td align="center" bgcolor="#DEE3EF" height="10px"></td> </tr> <tr> <td align="center" bordercolor="#FFFFFF" bgcolor="#DEE3EF" class="normalTextBold"><a href="officebearers.html" class="style4"><img src="images/OFFICE%20BEARERS.gif" width="80" height="75" border="2" class="imgBorder" /><br /> Office Bearers</a></td> </tr> <tr> <td align="center" bgcolor="#DEE3EF" height="10px"></td> </tr> <tr> <td align="center" bordercolor="#FFFFFF" background=Templates/%22../pastchairmen.html%22bgcolor="#DEE3EF" class="normalTextBold"><span class="style4"><a href="pastchairmen.html"><img src="images/past%20chairman.gif" width="80" height="75" border="2" class="imgBorder" /><br /> Past Chairmen </a></span></td> </tr> <tr> <td align="center" bgcolor="#DEE3EF" height="10px"></td> </tr> </table></td> <td width="61%" height="377" align="left" valign="top" bgcolor="#EFF3F7"> <!-- InstanceBeginEditable name="content" --> &nbsp; <h2 align="center">CHAIRMAN SPEECH </h2> <div style="overflow-y:scroll;"> <div style="margin-left:30px; margin-right:30px;"> <span class="style2"><p align="justify" class="style3"><strong>SPEECH OF SHRI RAJ K. KHANNA, CHAIRMAN, INDIAN WOOLLEN MILLS FEDERATION AT THE 38TH ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING ON FRIDAY, THE 30TH SEPTEMBER, 2011 AT THE  ONYX (BANQUET HALL LOCATED AT THE LOWER LOBBY LEVEL), HOTEL INTERCONTINENTAL, MUMBAI.</strong>.</span> <p align="justify"> Good Morning, </p> <p align="justify">I am pleased to welcome the Union Minister for State, Mrs. Panabaka Lakshmi and Members of the Indian Woollen Industry, Distinguished Guests and Senior Officials of the Government present at this 38th Annual General Meeting of the Indian Woollen Mills Federation. </p> <p align="justify">The global economic and financial situation is recovering slowly. The large fiscal deficits and high debt ratios coupled with slow economic growth have created unsettling conditions for business and have potential for causing great volatility in financial markets. It is hard to visualize strong economic growth in the advanced economies in 2011 and to a large extent in 2012. The implications of this, for India s strategy to return to the 9.0 per cent growth trajectory, are that public policy must promote business confidence and facilitate increased investment. </p> <p align="justify">Federation has been continuously approaching the Ministry for redressal of its grievances which are still pending. However, Federation is vigorously approaching the Ministry of Textiles and Finance to convince and seek solution for the issues mentioned below: </P> <ol type="i"> <li>Abolition of import duty on import of Greasy Wool, other Animal Fibre, Woollen Rags and Flax Fibre.</li> <li>Reduction of import duty to 10% on Wool Tops of 15.6 microns or coarser where facilities are available in the country for converting raw wool into wool tops..</li> <li>Total abolition of import duty on Wool Tops of 15.5 microns or finer because there are no facilities available to process such fine wools in our country and the industry has to fully depend on import of tops to enable it compete with leading manufacturers of countries like Italy. </li> <li>Further reduction of basic import duty on Wool Waste from 10% to 5%. </li> <li>Reduction of basic import duty from 10% to 5% on staple fibres of Nylon and Polypropylene. </li> <li>Abolition of import duty on specified textile and garment machinery (including woollen machinery) covered by list Nos. 30, 31 & 46(D); Textile and garment machinery falling under Chapter Heading 84.44 to 84.49, 84.51 & 84.52 (except 84.52.10, 84.52.30.10 and 84.52.90.10) and Spare Parts for general textile machinery and also for machinery covered under List No. 46(D). </li> </ol> <p>Your Federation has also made a request to Government of India for removal of ban on setting up of shoddy industry in SEZ/EOU areas, which appears in Para 7 of Appendix 14-1-C of Hand Book of Procedures so that the shoddy industry can flourish in the country.</p> <p>The carpet yarn manufacturing industry in Bikaner is still trying to come out of the bad patch of lack of purchase of carpets by the developed countries as USA and Europe which are the main markets for the carpets have been facing slow down in their economic situation. The problem of availability of statistics pertaining to production, employment, imports and exports has become worse after reforms when compulsory data submission earlier link to the licensing era became voluntary in a liberalized environment. The figures available are away from the reality that it is unclear whether this should be used even in an indicative manner to plan forecast and to arrive at some decision by the industry. </p> <p><span class="style3"><u>FTA/PTA/RTA/CECA/BILATERAL TRADE AGREEMENTS</u></span></p> <p>Indian Woollen Mills&#8217; Federation has been submitting comments on finalization of sensitive lists with various countries for safeguarding the interest of India, owing to high export strength at competitive prices of different countries. Federation is regularly attending the meetings called for discussing FTAs/PTAs/Bilateral Trade Agreements and taking very cautious approach with regard to textile and clothing sector while negotiating FTAs/PTAs/Bilateral Trade Agreements. Indian woolen textile industry has to find ways and means to become more competitive, as these are the days of FTAs/PTAs/Bilateral Trade Agreements.</p> <p>In recent years India has provided a global manufacturing platform to other multi national companies other than textile products, it can certainly provide a base for textiles and apparel companies. </p> <p></p><span class="style3"><u>TUF SCHEME:</u></span></p> <p align="justify">Government has resolved that the Restructured Technology Upgradation Fund Scheme for the textiles & jute industries will be in operation upto 31.03.2012. </p> <p align="justify">The Government s decision to suspend the Technology Upgradation Fund Scheme (TUFS) on the excuse of shortage of funds, till additional allocations are approved by the Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs is surprising and came as a rude shock to the entire textile sector. </p> <p align="justify">The Scheme has found to be absolutely essential for augmenting spinning, processing, weaving and garmenting capacities and it is hoped that the Government will extend the scheme at least upto end of 12th Five Year Plan i.e. end of 2017. TUF Scheme is the solution for technological upgradation to make the industry highly competitive for expanding into new markets with quality of the products with price competitiveness and timely delivery. TUF Scheme implemented with a view to facilitating modernization and upgradation of the textile industry by providing credit at reduced rates has been fine turned to induce investment in targeted segments.</p> <p align="justify">It is anticipated that Indian textile industry is likely to do much better. The Government support has ensured fast consumption of clothing as well as fibre in India. The sub sectors of the textile and clothing production have registered positive growth at the start of the financial year. This is a good sign of recovery of textile production in comparison to growth rates of March, 2011. Wool and woollen textiles has a growth of 0.1%.</p> <p align="justify">Weak infrastructure may be hindrance which can be overcome with better network with better value added products by innovating more and more regular research and development with regard to woollen textile industry.</p> <p align="justify">Federation has always maintained close contact with all the Government Authorities and the Textile Associations in India. I would like to take this opportunity to convey our gratitude to the Ministry of Textiles, Ministry of Finance, Ministry of Commerce & Industry, Central Board of Excise & Customs, for their co-operation and assistance.</p> <p align="justify">I express my sincere thanks to my co-office bearers and my colleagues in the Managing Committee and members of the Federation for their unstinted support and guidance during the year.</p> <p align="justify">I also thank Shri Mahesh N. Sanil, Secretary General and all the members of the staff of the Federation for their assistance. </p> <p align="justify">I am very much thankful to the new Managing Committee for expressing their full confidence in me by requesting me to shoulder the responsibility of the Chairmanship of Indian Woollen Mills Federation for the year 2011-12, I accept humbly and will try my level best to ensure that I will stand up to the expectation of the members of the Managing Committee with their unstinted support. </p> <p>Thank you.</p> <p align="justify">&nbsp;</p> </div> <!-- InstanceEndEditable --></td> <td width="19%" valign="top"><table width="100%" border="0" cellpadding="2" cellspacing="0" bordercolor="#FFFFFF"> <tr> <td align="center" bgcolor="#DEE3EF" height="10px"></td> </tr> <tr> <td align="center" bordercolor="#FFFFFF" background="Templates/Drag%20to%20a%20file%20to%20choose%20it." bgcolor="#DEE3EF" class="normalTextBold"> <span class="style4"><a href="chairmanspeech.html"><img src="images/chairman%20speech.gif" width="80" height="75" border="2" class="imgBorder" /></a><br /> <a href="chairmanspeech.html">Chairman Speech </a></span></td> </tr> <tr> <td align="center" bgcolor="#DEE3EF" height="10px"></td> </tr> <tr> <td align="center" bordercolor="#FFFFFF" background="reference.html" bgcolor="#DEE3EF" class="normalTextBold"><span class="style2"><a href="reference.html"><span class="style4"><img src="images/reference.gif" width="80" height="75" border="2" class="imgBorder" /><br /> References</span></a></span></td> </tr> <tr> <td align="center" bgcolor="#DEE3EF" height="10px"></td> </tr> <tr> <td align="center" bordercolor="#FFFFFF" background="Drag to a file to choose it."bgcolor="#DEE3EF" class="normalTextBold"><a href="contactus.html" class="style4"><img src="images/contact%20us.gif" width="80" height="75" border="2" class="imgBorder" /><br /> Contact Us </a></td> </tr> <tr> <td align="center" bgcolor="#DEE3EF" height="10px"></td> </tr> </table></td> </tr> </table></td> </tr> <tr> <td> <table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" border="0" width="100%"> <tr> <td align="left" background="images/TITLE.gif" bgcolor="#F7E7D6" class="normalText">&copy;2007 IWMF</td> <td height="20" align="right" background="images/TITLE.gif" bgcolor="#F7E7D6"><a href="http://www.saintangelos.com" target="_blank" style="font-size:8pt">Engined by St. Angelo's Knowledge Systems Pvt. 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