The Indian textile industry occupies a unique position in the Indian economy, in terms of its contribution to industrial production, employment and exports. In spite of a strong fibre and production base, for various historical reasons, this industry suffers from severe technological obsolescence and lack of economies of scale. While relatively high cost of state-of-the-art technology and structural anomalies in the industry have been major contributory factors, perhaps the singlemost important factor inhibiting technology upgradation has been the relatively high cost of capital, even in real terms, in India, especially for an industry usually squeezed for margins. Given the significance of this industry to the overall health of the Indian economy, its employment potential and the huge historical backlog of technology upgradation, particularly in the context of the liberalisation of the national industrial and trade policy and globalisation of textile trade, it has been emphasised by experts that in order to sustain and improve its competitiveness and overall long term viability,it is essential for the textile industry to have access to timely and adequate capital at internationally comparable rates of interest in order to upgrade its technology level.

                In the light of the foregoing, it has been felt necessary to make operational a focussed and time-bound Technology Upgradation Fund Scheme(TUFS) which would provide a focal point for modernisation efforts through technology upgradation in the industry. The main feature of the TUFS Scheme would be a five percent reimbursement on the interest actually charged by the identified financial institutions on the sanctioned projects.

Resolution:

                It is, therefore, resolved that a Technology Upgradation Fund Scheme be made operational for the textile,jute and cotton ginning & pressing industries for five years with effect from the 1^st of April, 1999. The scheme will provide a reimbursement of five percentage points on the interest charged by the leading agency on a project of technology upgradation in conformity with this resolution.

               The scope of the scheme, eligibility criteria and operational parameters are defined below: