On International Workers’ Day or Labour Day( 1st May), some developments and celebrations were noticed in the garment industry. Many export houses across India had declared holiday for its workers as well as for its middle- and seniorlevel professionals, while many others continued their work as usual. Few factories in Noida asked workers to work on this day, but after workers’ protest they made it‘ optional working’ and declared it as a‘ paid working day’. |
Celebrating the day, some of the factories organized small events for their workers, motivating them through various activities. Creatnet Services, a Noida-based buying house, to show appreciation to its sampling and production teams, organized a trip for its bead workers, tailors and embroiderers along with their families to enjoy the day-off at the Sunder Nursery Gardens in Delhi.
In Madurai, Justice Shivaraj V Patil Foundation and Textile
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Workers Union, Madurai launched awareness campaign on securing living wages and decent working conditions for female garment workers in Tamil Nadu. Addressing the launch programme, P Muthuraja. General Secretary, Madurai District Textile Workers Federation said that many spinning mills and garment factories make the workers toil for more than 14 hours, defeating the cause. They work for longer periods for lesser wages. |
Fair Wear Foundation( FWF), releasing its report,‘ Breaking the Silence: The FWF Violence and Harassment Prevention Programme’, said that violence and harassment in the world of work is a widespread issue in the garment industry, especially against women. Recognising the importance of tackling this issue at the factory level, they launched the programme to address and prevent violence and harassment in the world of work. |
Gujarat is now upping its ante in apparel manufacturing also. The State Government, too, is doing its bit to help drive the transformation of the state into a garment hub. Stepping up its support to the apparel sector, the Gujarat Government has decided to construct industrial sheds for the apparel industry at 12 locations across the state.“ The sheds will be open for micro, small, medium and even large enterprises,” said D Thara, |
Vice Chairman and Managing Director of Gujarat Industrial Development Corporation( GIDC).
Most of the demands( for sheds), according to Thara, are from places like Ankleshwar, Surat, Bhavnagar, Bardoli and Kathwada, while other locations where the apparel sector might grow, include Vapi, Naroda, Hansalpur and Surendranagar. Markedly, the envisaged sheds will be multi-storey buildings built on plug-and-use model. And
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the units will only have to install their machinery and equipment to commence operations right away. Of late, the Gujarat Government – in collaboration with Garment Manufacturers Association of India( GMAI) – had invited‘ Expression of Interest’( EOI) from industry players, interested to set up apparel manufacturing base in the state.
The initiative elicited response from not only the locals but
As per the GIDC Chief, the Government had so far sought only EOIs; however, going forward, real applications will be invited now.
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also the people from other states. The Government, on this basis, estimated that around 6.5 million sq. feet of space is required to develop the apparel sector. As per the GIDC Chief, the Government had so far sought only EOIs; however, going forward, real applications will be invited now.“ This will provide an idea of genuine space requirement. Once this is done, the actual allotment will start,” he was quoted as saying.
Notably, the Gujarat Government has further enhanced its focus on apparel manufacturing industry. Being labour-intensive, the sector has massive potential for employment growth, particularly in smaller cities and towns and even rural areas. Significantly, the sector also provides ample employment opportunities for women – in fact, it is skewed in favour of women workforce. The apparel sector requires relatively lower start-up capital, and therefore, presents one potential opportunity for women entrepreneurs also.
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