Surat Textile Industry Awaits Power Subsidy Promised Five Years Ago

Surat : In the heart of India’s man-made fibre (MMF) textile hub, a different kind of yarn is tangled – the bureaucracy’s red tape. For five years, textile entrepreneurs in Surat have been weaving their hopes into applications for the power subsidy promised in the 2019 Gujarat Textile Policy, only to find their dreams gathering dust in government files.

Over 3,800 applications, approved by the District Industries Centre (DIC) and the Surat District Collector, lie dormant, waiting for the final stamp of approval from the state government. The deadline for the Textile Policy loomed large on December 31, 2023, leaving a trail of uncertainty in its wake.

The promised subsidy, a lifeline for the industry grappling with rising energy costs, amounted to Rs 3 per unit for LT connections and Rs 2 per unit for HT connections. This seemingly modest sum held the potential to revitalize the sector, churning its looms and boosting its competitiveness.

“The Gujarat Textile Policy ended on December 31, 2023,” lamented Vijay Mevawala, Vice President of the Southern Gujarat Chamber of Commerce and Industry (SGCCI). “We haven’t heard a word about the disbursement of the subsidy. We’ve written to the state government, urging them to clear the files. Our hope is that these 3,800 applications, each representing a weaver’s dream, will finally see the light of day.”

The delay casts a long shadow over the industry’s future. With the policy sunsetting, the question arises: will the promised subsidy ever materialize, or will it remain a mirage in the arid landscape of bureaucratic red tape?

The textile industry in Surat is the backbone of Gujarat’s economy, employing millions and contributing significantly to the state’s export earnings. Denying them the promised subsidy is not just a financial blow; it’s a betrayal of trust, a threat to the very fabric of the textile dream.

“The government must act swiftly to clear the backlog and ensure that the fabric of hope doesn’t unravel into despair. The industry’s future, and the livelihoods of countless individuals, hang in the balance, waiting for the final thread of bureaucracy to be snipped and the subsidy to flow like a lifeblood, revitalizing the loom of hope in Surat” said Mayur Golwala, leader of Surat’s powerloom industry.