The Ministry of Textiles recently announced that it inked Memorandums of Understanding (MoUs) with 15 states in India to upgrade data systems and planning in the textiles sector.
The move was part of a new Central Sector Scheme, Tex‑RAMPS, and was announced on the opening day of the National Textiles Ministers’ Conference in Guwahati on Thursday.
These MoUs were signed under the Textiles-focused Research, Assessment, Monitoring, Planning and Start‑Up (Tex‑RAMPS) scheme, which aims to improve the coverage, quality, timeliness and credibility of textile-related statistics and research, so that policies are based on reliable data rather than ad-hoc estimates, the Centre said.
The MoUs set up an operational framework to strengthen textile data systems across States and Union Territories. They are meant to support integrated planning for key segments such as handlooms, handicrafts, apparel, technical textiles and other new-age textile products, with a focus on work at the cluster and district levels.
The Ministry of Textiles said that it would provide each state or UT that signs up with an annual grant of Rs 12 lakh. On top of that, there will be an additional Rs 1 lakh per year for each district, linked to the preparation and implementation of specific district action plans for the textile sector. The idea is to push data collection and planning right down to the grassroots, where most weavers, artisans and small textile units are actually located.
The ministry stated that strengthening the textiles statistical system would help close existing data gaps and ensure that India’s roadmap towards a $350 billion textile economy is grounded in real-time insights.
The two‑day National Textiles Ministers’ Conference, which is set to conclude on Friday, is themed “India’s Textiles: Weaving Growth, Heritage & Innovation”. Union Textiles Minister Giriraj Singh and Minister of State Pabitra Margherita framed the initiative as part of a wider push for cooperative federalism and for positioning India as a global textile hub.