The ministry of textile has disbanned the All India Powerloom Board through a notification issued on August 4 2020. Another notification stating change in the status of all eight Textiles Research Association (TRAs) has also been issued on August 6 2020.
The later notification states that the TRAs will now cease to be “affiliate bodies” of the ministry and will now be “approved bodies” for conducting testing, research and developmental activities related to the textile sector.
Highlights
The Eight TRAs
- Northern India Textile Research Association, Gaziabad,
- Ahmedabad Textile Industry’s Research Association,
- Bombay Textile Research Association,
- South India Textile Research Association, Coimbatore,
- Synthetic and Art Silk Mills Research Association, Mumbai
- Man-made Textile Research Association, Surat,
- Wool Research Association, Thane,
- Indian Jute Industry’s Research Association, Kolkatta.
Reason behind the Ban
Government sources states that the decision to disband was taken following an assessment that states that the All India Powerloom Board failed to impact policy making and became vehicles of “Political patronage” with the emergence of ‘middleman culture’. Such culture cannot be in the interest of the weavers.
By scrapping the Board the Centre aims at achieving “minimum government and maximum governance” and “leaner government machinery and for systematic rationalisation of government bodies”.
About All India Powerloom Board
The All India Powerloom Board was first constituted as an advisory board in November, 1981. In December 2013 it was reconstituted for a period of two years.
The Board had representatives of Central and State governments , Powerloom Federation, Associations of Powerloom, Textile Industry as its members and was headed by the Union Minister of Textiles as the Chairman.
Aim of AIPB
The aim of the board was to advise the Government generally on matters concerning the healthy development of Powerlooms within the power-operated weaving sector including measures to be taken to acheive better productivity, increased efficiency, improve welfare of workers and locational disposal of Powerlooms.
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