SIMA Urges Tamil Nadu CM To Address Power Cost Burden On Textile Mills
The Southern India Mills’ Association has urged Tamil Nadu Chief Minister C. Joseph Vijay to intervene in resolving mounting power-related issues impacting textile mills across the state.
A delegation from SIMA met the Chief Minister on Wednesday and highlighted concerns over rising electricity costs and policy decisions related to non-conventional energy, which the industry said are affecting the competitiveness of textile manufacturing units.
Among the key demands, the association sought withdrawal of network charges imposed on rooftop solar power generation, citing an existing High Court order on the matter. It also requested the state government to suspend the collection of arrears linked to deemed demand charges until a final ruling is issued by the Appellate Tribunal for Electricity.
SIMA further appealed for demand charges to be frozen at the current rate of ₹608 per kVA per month for the next three years to provide cost stability for the industry.
The delegation additionally urged the government to expedite implementation of the PM MITRA Park scheme and the Tamil Nadu Integrated Textile Policy, while seeking adequate budgetary support for the sector’s infrastructure and development initiatives.
The industry body said timely intervention on energy-related issues is critical for sustaining textile operations and maintaining the state’s competitiveness in the domestic and export markets.
The delegation included T Rajkumar, former Chairman of SIMA; Ravi Sam, Vice Chairman of The Cotton Textiles Export Promotion Council and former SIMA Chairman; and Ashwin Chandran, Chairman of the Confederation of Indian Textile Industry.
