Textile ministry may extend TUF

To sustain the present boom in the textile sector , the Ministry of Textiles (MoT) is trying to extend the popular Technology Upgradation Fund Scheme (TUFS), slated to expire by March 2007.

Addressing a press conference, Shashi Singh, joint textile commissioner, said the office of the Textile Commissioner has drafted a vision document for the 11th five year plan and the approval is awaited from the ministry.

"We are trying to extend the TUFS as it is, but if there are any fund constraints we may modify the scheme and extend it thereafter," she added.

It is likely that the MoT may drop any one of the sectors (which include spinning, weaving, processing and knitting ) from the TUFS, should there be any fund crunch.

Singh said the number of spindles for the year 2006-07 is estimated at 2.97 million as against 2.09 million for the same period last year.

The office of the Textile Commissione has also sought extension of the Technology Misssion on Cotton (TMC) for two more years which envisions the modernisation of 1,000 ginning and pressing units.

So far, the modernisation work for 750 units have been completed and 50 units would be considered this year.