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The Ministry of Textiles sanctioned the development of 112 market yards under the Mini Mission III segment of the Technology Mission on Cotton (TMC). This is at a total cost of Rs. 196.84 crore out of which the Government of India share would be Rs.98.55 crore. The Scheme includes setting up of 17 new market yards, improvement of 80 market yards and activation of 15 market yards. Out of the 112 market yards sanctioned for development, work on 75 yards has been completed.
Under the Mini Mission IV of TMC the Ministry has sanctioned the modernization of 429 ginning and pressing factories. This is at an estimated cost of Rs. 553.98 crore out of which Government of India share would be 96.68 crore. The work related to modernization in 262 factories has already been completed. With the entry of India in the post quota era these measures are significant, as they will help in enhancing the cost competitiveness together with quality, which will be the parameters guiding global trade in textiles. Therefore, to achieve the desired objective of producing contamination free cotton, the Ministry of Textiles is considering expansion of the scheme so that 80 per cent of cotton in the country is marketed in developed market yards and processed in modernized factories.
The Technology Mission on Cotton is jointly implemented by Ministry of Agriculture and Ministry of Textiles. Ministry of Textiles is responsible for implementation of Mini Mission III and IV, which relate to improvement in marketing infrastructure and modernization of ginning and pressing factories respectively. Under Mini Mission III the Government of India has provided assistance @ 60 per cent of the cost of development of the market yard to the concerned Agriculture Produce Market Committee. Maximum assistance limit for improvement of existing market yard is Rs.90 lakh and for construction of a new market yard it is Rs.150 lakh. Under Mini Mission IV, capital incentive @ 25 per cent of the cost of modernization subject to a limit of Rs.20 lakh is given to ginning and pressing factories. Further, for installation of ‘new bale press’ and ‘HVI/MVI grading laboratories’, additional incentive of Rs.7 lakh and Rs.4 lakh respectively is also given.
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