The Fact News Service
Ludhiana, May 20
Rajya Sabha MP Sanjeev Arora visited the Exhibition-cum-National Buyers and Sellers Meet organised by the Knitwear and Apparel Manufacturers Association of Ludhiana (KAMAL) at the Exhibition Centre, Sahnewal, near Ludhiana on Tuesday. The exhibition is being held from May 18 to 21.
Sudershan Jain, representing KAMAL, briefed Arora about the event, which features participation from around 50 manufacturers and over 1,000 retailers. He also shared that KAMAL is an association formed by leading knitwear and apparel manufacturers of Ludhiana, aimed at making a unified and organised effort to promote and expand the industry. KAMAL’s mission is to pool resources and direct collective initiatives with the vision of placing Ludhiana’s knitwear industry on the global map.
Arora visited several stalls and showed keen interest in the products on display. He also held discussions with the event organisers, who highlighted various pressing issues faced by the industry. In response, Arora assured them of his support and pledged to address these concerns in the near future.
During an informal interaction with the media, Arora expressed his delight at the exhibition and congratulated the organisers. He acknowledged the industry’s concerns, including issues related to the HSN Code. Arora said he would take up the matter with the central government for early resolution.
He recalled that he had previously raised serious concerns in Parliament regarding the dumping of cheap Chinese fabrics and the duty-free import of man-made fabrics from Bangladesh, which adversely affects the MSME sector. Arora had demanded for an immediate ban on low-quality Chinese fabrics, the introduction of a minimum import price for all HSN codes under Chapter 60, and a ban on duty-free imports from Bangladesh to protect local industry and jobs.
Arora further noted that today he had been informed about ongoing import malpractices involving incorrect declarations and HSN codes. Calling it a serious issue, he said he would write to the Ministry of Textiles and the Ministry of Commerce, urging them to take strict action to curb these practices and safeguard the interests of the domestic industry.
Addressing the long-standing demand for an exhibition centre in Ludhiana, Arora shared that a couple of potential sites have been identified. He expressed hope that concrete steps will be taken soon, stating that the establishment of such a facility would significantly boost the local industry.
