Dr. Kavuru Sambasiva Rao took over as the new Union Minister for Textiles here today. Dr. Rao is a Lok Sabha member from Eluru constituency of Andhra Pradesh.
Speaking to mediapersons after taking charge as the new Textiles Minister, Dr. Rao expressed concern over the current account deficit (CAD) “which is affecting the nation’s economy.” He highlighted that the textiles sector “is one sector where we can increase the exports substantially.” “I am given to understand that our export in textiles is about USD 34 billion today, which I wish to make at least USD 50 billion by the year end. For this we have to encourage the skill development, and speak to all the industrialists in particular to find out what exactly are their problems, what type of support they require from the government and how they will be able to increase the exports. And that will solve the problem of CAD also and the country will be out of woes.”
Dr. Rao also assured that the Ministry will do “everything possible to provide employment in a big way to poor sections of the society, and increase the exports in a big way and do justice to the cotton growers as well as the handloom weavers.”
Putting stress on the fact the skill development is paramount, Dr. Rao said that “when there are skills with the people of the country, the growth will go up, the production will go up, the cost of production will come down, and then we will be able to compete in the international market.” He wished to “encourage providing skills to all those people, preferably freely.”