Ministry of Textiles Celebrated World Cotton Day

11 October 2022: Ministry of Textiles celebrated World Cotton Day 2022 by organizing a national-level consultation on Sustainability in the Textile Value Chain in India in collaboration with UNEP and CCI. The main objective of the meeting was to put forward and discuss the sustainability initiatives across the textile value chain, digital interventions along with potential strategies for enhancing Sustainability/Circularity in the Indian textile value chain.

A Cooperation agreement has been signed between UNEP and the Textile committee on designing a campaign on “Mainstreaming sustainability and circularity in the Textile sector”.

Upendra Singh, Secretary, MoT who presided over the first session, during his address emphasised the importance of sustainability and circularity in the Textile Value Chain in India. He also pointed out that though the textile parks are equipped with CETP facilities, the textile industry is still facing problems in effluent management due to the unavailability of data on waste generation from the processing clusters.

Prajakta Verma, Joint Secretary, MoT along with Shombi Sharp, UN Resident Coordinator, Shri. Atul Bagai, Head, of UNEP India Country Office, and Bhawna Singh, Assistant Director MOEFCC also presided over the first session.

Atul Bagai, Head of the UNEP India Country office started the meeting with Welcome Remarks, appreciating the unique initiatives being made by the Ministry of Textiles including the creation of a sustainability cell within the ministry. He highlighted the principle of “Prakrathi Devo Bhav” to enable a sustainable future.

Prajakta Verma, Joint Secretary, MoT emphasized it is the need of the hour to critically evaluate approaches in a world which is driven by the 2030 Sustainability and the Climate agenda. This conference is set up in the context to devise a multistakeholder approach which is a key to driving us to the future.