Riju Jhunjhunwala Emphasises Need To Upskill Textile Workers
Speaking at the 118th PHD Chamber of Commerce and Industry (PHDCCI) Annual Session 2023, Riju Jhunjhunwala, CMD, RSWM Ltd. emphasised on the need to upskill textile workers to meet the US $100 billion export goal by 2030.
“Established companies are now dedicating more time to ensure skill development for all their employees. This is crucial because by 2030, we have to reach a figure of $100 billion of export. To meet the goal everything must align with the right ecosystem,” he stated.
He said that challenges exist in every industry, but the textiles industry, specifically, being more manpower-driven, requires a significant number of blue-collar workers.
“RSWM Ltd. is working with the Government of Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh and others on this. And almost every state government is competing with each other to provide more support for the skilling of these workers,” he asserted.
Jhunjhunwala refuted the notion that competition from Bangladesh posed a threat to the Indian textile industry. China has been the leading producer of cotton and man-made fibre. Furthermore, their factories are 10 to 20 times larger than those in India, providing them with significant advantages.
“The advantage China enjoyed for those 40 years is no longer present in Bangladesh. Yes, Bangladesh is a larger exporter of garments than India. But they don’t have the kind of ecosystem that India has,” Jhunjhunwala observed.
He pointed out that even though Chinese factories are larger than Indian ones, their labour costs are double that of India’s. So, India still has some competitive advantages, and in the next few years, with several kinds of policies introduced by the government, it will get better.
