9 numbers that say Smriti Irani’s move to textiles is not a demotion

Smriti Irani lost the prestigious Human Resource Development Ministry to Prakash Javadekar in Tuesday’s reshuffle. Her two-year tenure at HRD Ministry saw several controversies and her shift to the Textile Ministry is seen as a less glamorous assignment. It may be less glamorous, but the textile ministry is no less significant. Here’s why?

•$ 100 Billion is the size, by revenue, that the textile and apparel industry in India is projected to reach by 2016-17, from $67 Billion in 2013-14

•45 Million people are employed directly in the textile industry, making it the largest employer after agriculture

•35 million is the number of additional jobs the new textile policy aims to create

•$36 billion is the amount textile and garment exports earn every year, which is equal to 14% of India’s export earnings

•$300 billion is the value the new textile policy aims to clock in exports by 2024-25

•2% of GDP is accounted for by the textile industry, making it crucial to the economy

•10% is the industry’s contribution to overall manufacturing production in the country

•100 is the number of countries to which India exports its textiles and garment. The United States and the European Union account for two-thirds of India’s textiles exports

•Rs. 6,000 crore is the special package cleared by cabinet for the textile ministry, just days before the reshuffle.

While talking to the reporters after taking charge of the new portfolio the minister said, “I am happy that I have been given an opportunity especially when a special package has been announced for the sector. This signifies that my party and especially the Prime Minister has faith that I have the capacity to implement the roadmap that was projected through the Cabinet for the rest of the country”. She also added that she is hopeful that the much-awaited new national textile policy “will soon see the light of day”.