in the news on-line, 26 June 2013

ASIA

* Industries Ready for ASEAN Economic Community:

Ansari Bukhari, Secretary General of the Industry Ministry, said that a number of domestic industries have better competitiveness compared to other ASEAN countries. His assessment is related to the ASEAN Economic Community (AEC) which will begin implementation in 2015.

“Several industries become a priority because they have good competitiveness for the AEC,” Ansari said during a discussion at the Chamber of Commerce and Industry in Jakarta, Monday, June 24.

Industries considered able to compete with the other ASEAN countries include agro-based industries such as palm oil, cocoa, rubber, fish and its by-products, textiles and textile products, footwear, leather and leather goods. Other industries include furniture, food and beverages, fertilizers and petrochemicals, machinery and equipment, and basic metal industries such as iron, and steel.

Ansari said that the government is also increasing the competitiveness of other industries to strengthen and secure the domestic market from invasion from other ASEAN countries. These industries include the automotive industry, electronics, cement, apparel, and footwear.
read more.

18:38:29 local time VIET NAM

* Management-Worker Dialogue Helps Put Safety First:

The tragedy of the collapse of Rana Plaza in Bangladesh in May has turned global attention to the issue of working conditions in garment factories around the world.

While international clothing brands are anxiously assessing their risks of where they produce their products, governments have the daunting task of ensuring that they have the laws and enforcement mechanisms in place to ensure their factories are safe.

At the same time, recent industrial disasters in Bangladesh, Pakistan and elsewhere point to the essential role of social dialogue—worker and management communication—as a key to preventing the scale of tragedy we have witnessed. In Rana Plaza, as well as in the fire that took more than 100 lives at the Tazreen Factory in Bangladesh at the end of last year, the workers themselves had tried to raise their voices to escape from the dangers, but were unable to stand up to the demands of factory managers.
read more.

18:38:29 local time THAILAND

* UTCC survey finds workers’ debt burden at highest level:

Workers are shouldering their highest debt burden in five years, due mainly to the rising cost of living and despite the increase in the daily minimum wage to Bt300 this year, according to a survey by the University of the Thai Chamber of Commerce.

The UTCC survey shows that the average working family’s debt burden has risen significantly and is approaching a dangerous level, with workers bringing in less than Bt15,000 a month needing to borrow more from loan sharks because of a lack of liquidity.
read more. & read more.
 

18:38:29 local time CAMBODIA

* Ex-Governor’s Slap on Wrist for Shooting a Stark Contrast to Harsh Penalties for Human Rights Defenders:

Cambodian Community Legal Education Center (CLEC) and Cambodian League for the Promotion & Defense of Human Rights (LICADHO) welcome the conviction of former Bavet governor Chhouk Bandith for shooting three garment workers last year, but condemn the light sentence – one-and-a-half years in prison – for actions that amounted an attempted triple-homicide.

The sentence is little more than a slap on the wrist, and is emblematic of Cambodia’s pervasive culture of impunity for the well-connected elite.

According to witnesses, then-governor Bandith brandished a gun during a protest at a garment factory in February 2012 and fired shots into a group of thousands of workers. Three women were seriously injured. He has yet to spend a day in detention, and at one point, charges were actually dropped altogether. He was finally charged with causing “unintentional violence.”

In contrast, Boeung Kak Lake land activist and human rights defender Yorm Bopha was sentenced to three years in prison – though one year was recently suspended by the Court of Appeals – for allegedly “masterminding” a physical assault on one man. There was no evidence presented in court linking her to the attack. Bopha has been in prison since September 2012, including more than four months in pretrial detention.
read more. & read more.
 

* Bandith found guilty:

After 16 months of delays and legal wrangling, former Bavet town governor Chhouk Bandith was found guilty of unintentional violence and sentenced to a year and a half in prison yesterday for shooting three demonstrating garment workers in 2012. As of press time, however, the still-powerful local figure had not been arrested.

In addition to 18 months in jail, Bandith was also ordered by the Svay Rieng Provincial Court to pay 38 million riel (about $9,500) in compensation to the victims – 20 million to Buot Chenda, 10 million to Nuth Sakhorn and the remaining eight million to Keo Near.

Presiding judge Leang Sour, upon issuing the verdict, said that “the court also issues the warrant for accused Chhouk Bandith today”.
read more.

* Bundith Gets ‘Slap on the Wrist’ for Triple Shooting:

Seventeen months after Chhouk Bundith opened fire into a crowd of angry protesters, the Svay Rieng Provincial Court on Tuesday sentenced the former Bavet City governor to just 18 months in jail for shooting and injuring three female garment workers.

Announcing the verdict in court, Judge Leang Sour called for Chhouk Bundith’s immediate arrest, and ordered him to pay compensation of some $9,500 to the three factory workers, one of which sustained a perforated lung in the shooting.
The three victims—Bun Chenda, Nuth Sokhorn and Keo Nea —will receive $5,000, $2,500 and $2,000, respectively.

While the court found Chhouk Bundith guilty of the triple shooting, it ruled that he was only responsible for “unintentionally” causing injuries to the three workers.
“The court decided that Chhouk Bundith was guilty based on the testimony of witnesses and evidence which proves that he really shot at the victims,” Judge Sour said. “We are ordering his immediate arrest and detention.”
read more.

19:38:29 local time INDONESIA

* Apindo won’t increase wage this year:

Despite the recent increase of fuel prices and inflation on the horizon, the Employers Association (Apindo) indicated there will be no wage increase this year.

Labor associations vowed to push for a wage increase in July to counteract the fuel price changes that became effective last Saturday.
Apindo chairman Sofjan Wanandi said companies are welcome to “adjust” transportation allowance for their employees.
According to Sofjan, any policies regarding wage rises need a joint assessment through talks between workers, businesses and the government.

“The National Wage Council [DPN] will first do a survey through the tripartite arrangement, which will then be negotiated upon, and a decision made next year,” Sofjan said on Monday, acknowledging that the association has neither a plan nor any specific policy to increase wages.
(…)
Apindo has no plan to increase wages partly because of the increase in the minimum wage this year.
Based on his personal observations, Sofjan has not seen any evidence that the increase in minimum wage to boosted the productivity of workers.
“How can this be so? If this is the way things are, maybe we better use more machines and fewer workers?” Sofjan said.
read more.

* RI to become world muslim apparel center in 2015:

Indonesia is expected to become the world`s Muslim apparel center in 2015, Director General of Arts-and-Culture-based Creative Economy Ahman Sya said.

“It is a difficult dream but Indonesia must be able to realize it. There are many factors which support Indonesia to become a world Muslim clothes center,” he said after opening the Creative Economic Worship here on Tuesday.
read more.

18:08:29 local time BURMA/MYANMAR

* Strikes, unions and dispute resolution:

In last week’s edition of The Myanmar Times there was a report about a strike in a factory in Shwe Pyi Tar. As such, this is not big news: Strikes occur all over the world, after all. In Myanmar, however, strikes had been effectively banned until modern labour legislation was enacted on October 11, 2011, in the shape of the Labour Organisation Law.

From a legal perspective, the most interesting aspect of the strike is that, according to the article, it was led by a union and the factory owners put the case to formalised dispute resolution. It shows that the legal framework for solving collective labour disputes has taken root. This is different from, for example, Vietnam, where in spite of the existence of unions discontent erupts in wildcat strikes.

According to the Labour Organisation Law, a strike is legal if: it is organised by a union; the majority of the union’s members voted in favour of it; the respective labour federation (an umbrella organisation of unions within a specific sector) allows it; and the employer and relevant conciliation body (a body set up at township level to mediate between employers and workers) have been informed three days in advance.
read more.

17:38:29 local time BANGLADESH

* Razzak Plaza in Savar closed after cracks found:

Authority closed down all garment factories and other business establishments housed in commercial building Razzak Plaza in Savar on Wednesday after cracks were found in the building.

Savar upazila administration temporarily closed the eight-storey building housing two garment factories and a market as cracks developed in it.
The first four floors of Razzak Plaza, adjacent to nine-storey Rana Plaza that collapsed on April 24, houses a market while the rest upper floors have two garments.
read more.

* Cracks Discovered at Razzak Plaza (adjacent to the Rana Plaza Site), the workplace of 6000 Garment Workers:

At 7:30 AM today, 26 June 2013, cracks were discovered by inspectors across Razzak Plaza housing garment factories such as Juvian Sweaters, Pacific Blue (Jeans Wear) Ltd., and Al Muslim Garments on its 4th till 8th floors. It is the workplace for almost 6000 workers, some of whom were involved in the rescue effort.

Since the inspectors arrived early today, the factory have been declared to be closed. No announcement of payment during this closure period reached the workers as of yet, however there is a wide-spread belief that if the factory remains closed today then this day will be made up on the next Friday (Friday is a weekend for Bangladesh).
read more.

* First meeting of new wage board for RMG sector on July 4:

The newly formed six-member wage board for garment workers will hold its first meeting on July 4 for working out a new wage structure for the country’s RMG workers.

The chairman of the board, retired district judge AK Roy, has asked the members to place their proposals on wages as per the grades at the first meeting.
Sirajul Islam Rony, the representative of the workers and also the president of Bangladesh National Garment Workers Employees League, told New Age that he received a letter about the first meeting of the wage board on Monday.
He said he had been asked to place the grade-wise list of proposed wages.
‘I have already started to discuss with the workers’ groups to work out a proposal before the first meeting of the board,’ he said.
Sirajul said that the workers and workers’ groups have been demanding minimum wage of Tk 8,000 which is now Tk 3,000.
‘I think the minimum basic of the workers should be set at Tk 5,000 and I will set the proposal of the wages with the consent of the workers and workers’ groups,’ he said.
read more.

* Fashion Victims:

Australians love a bargain, but what’s the real cost of cheap clothes from the sweat shops in Bangladesh? On 24th April this year more than a thousand people were killed when an eight storey building collapsed in the heart of Bangladesh’s capital, Dhaka.

The collapse of Rana Plaza turned the world’s attention to the shocking conditions workers in the country’s clothing industry are forced to endure. In recent years, Australian companies have flooded into Bangladesh to take advantage of lax labour laws and the lowest wages in the world, paid to the predominantly young, female workers in the factories.

Next on Four Corners reporter Sarah Ferguson sets out to find where the clothes we see in our major retail outlets are made. What efforts do Australian companies make to ensure the factories are safe and their workers earn a living wage? Australian retailers blocked our enquiries at every turn, refusing access to factories wherever we went. Working backwards from some of our best known retail outlets, Four Corners goes factory to factory showing workers and union organisers Australian labels until the factories are found. There the workers describe a miserable existence, long hours, pitiful pay and abuse if deadlines aren’t met. In some of the worst cases there is even violence and threats of jail:

“Workers are being arrested, beaten, tortured … you know, sexual harassment, just on and on and on. This was a miserable sweatshop.”
read & see more. (video).

* Australian union calls for Bangladesh safety deal:

The Australian textile union has called on the country’s two leading retailers who sell Bangladeshi manufactured clothing to immediately sign an accord on building safety, reports AAP.

Several Australian retailers including Coles, Rivers and Forever New were named in a report by the ABC’s Four Coroners programme, which highlighted poor pay and conditions faced by textile workers in Bangladesh.
The programme heard allegations of terrible building conditions, workers being threatened with violence and exploitation.
Coles and Rivers are yet to sign an accord on building safety in Bangladesh.
Forever New signed the accord on Friday, the programme said.
National secretary of the Textile, Clothing and Footwear Union of Australia Michele O’Neil said reports of conditions in Bangladesh were ‘shameful and outrageous’.
read more. & read more.

* Australians will pay more for workers safety: survey:

Almost 70 percent of Australians agreed to pay more for their clothes if they are sure that the workers in overseas countries are paid a decent wage and that garment factories had safe working conditions, a new Oxfam Australia survey found.

The survey examined attitudes to Australian clothing retailers after the death of 1,131 garment workers in Bangladesh in Rana Plaza collapse on April 24.
The survey also revealed that 84 percent of consumers want Australian companies to sign onto an accord to improve safety at Bangladesh factories.
Oxfam Australia Chief Executive Helen Szoke said given that sweatshop conditions were the norm throughout Asia, and globally, it was not enough for companies to assure customers the people making their clothes were working in safe conditions – proof was needed.
read more.

* Australian retailers face new Bangladesh sweatshop claims:

Workers who create clothes for Coles, Target, Kmart and Rivers claim they suffer long hours, low pay and abuse threats

Australian retailers who recently signed an agreement to improve worker conditions in Bangladesh are facing new claims that sweatshop workers in the country have suffered physical and verbal abuse.

In an investigation aired by ABC’s Four Corners on Monday night, Bangladeshi workers who create clothes for Coles, Target, Kmart and Rivers claim to be forced to work long hours for little pay, with threats of abuse if they miss deadlines.
Shahanas, who earns $3 a day as an employee at Dhaka business Eve Dress Shirts which supplies clothing to retail brand Rivers, told Four Corners: “The system is, how many pieces I have delivered in an hour? If I can’t meet it, the abusive language starts.
“They slap us on the face, on the head and on the back.”
The allegations of abuse come just weeks after two of the brands linked to the allegations of sweatshop abuse by suppliers — Kmart and Target — signed a pledge to safeguard workers’ safety in the wake of the Rana Plaza collapse, which killed more than 1,100 people.
read more.

* Danish retailers sign BD safety reform plan:

PWT Group, a user of the clothing factory that collapsed in Bangladesh in April, and five other Danish firms, have agreed to sign an international accord on fire and safety in Bangladesh.

The accord was worked out and endorsed by several large mainly European retailers in May after the Rana Plaza factory collapsed on April 24 killing at least 1,129 people.
Denmark said IC Companys (IC.CO), DK Company (DKC.CO), Bestseller, COOP Denmark, Danish Supermarket and PWT Group, with its Texman and Wagner brands, had agreed to join retailers such as Hennes & Mauritz (HMb.ST), Inditex (ITX.MC), PVH Corp (PVH.N) and Tesco Plc (TSCO.L) in endorsing the accord.
PWT Group, which had been using a supplier in Rana Plaza for seven years, said the day after the collapse that, while it checked working conditions at the factory, it could not be held responsible for how it was built. It later said it planned to offer financial help to victims` families.
read more.

* BGMEA marks 1,822 factories as compliant:

Non-compliant factories will not be allowed to work even as a sub-contractor

Bangladesh Garment Manufacturer and Exporters Association (BGMEA) marked 1,822 factories as compliant in the apparel sector. These are listed organisations and have fulfilled compliance requirements. No factory except for these compliant factories will be allowed to work even as a sub-contracted company.

BGMEA asked the listed 2076 apparel factories to submit structural design and soil test reports after the incident of Rana Plaza. However 254 factories failed to submit the report within the scheduled deadline. All other factories are fully compliant according to BGMEA requirements.
read more.

* Marsh for increased vigilance:

Retailers and suppliers need to fully identify and understand their operational and supply chain risk exposures according to a report by Marsh, the world`s leading insurance broker and risk adviser.

The report examined the fallout from the 24 April Rana Plaza factory collapse in Savar killed more than 1100 people, mostly garment workers, and the lessons that can be taken from it.
The event highlighted the risks labour conditions can pose to workers as well as an organisation’s reputation, its supply chains and its bottom line, the Marsh report says. It recommended looking at crisis management and approaches to reputational risk going forward.
read more.

* GSP withdrawal looms large:

9 US senators urge Obama to suspend it

Bangladesh is likely to pay heavy price for the recent Rana Plaza collapse as the US administration is under pressure from the US senators for suspending trade benefits for Bangladesh until its improves its working conditions.

President Barack Obama is expected to decide the fate of Bangladesh’s GSP (Generalized System of Preferences) facilities in the US market by the end of June whether to suspend Bangladesh from the GSP programme or to continue it.
GSP waives US import duties on thousands of goods from poor countries to spur economic development.

On June 6, a prominent Democratic senator pushed for suspending duty-free privileges to Bangladesh, saying it would send a strong signal that the United States is serious about protecting workers after hundreds died in the global garment industry’s worst accident, according to AP.
American retailers that source products from factories in Bangladesh also came under pressure at a Senate hearing to adopt common safety standards to prevent a repeat of the April 24 collapse of Rana Plaza in Dhaka that killed 1,127 people.

“No one will want to wear a piece of clothing made in Bangladesh if it’s on the blood of workers,” New Jersey Sen. Robert Menendez, chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, told a hearing on labor conditions in Bangladesh.
Meanwhile, nine US senators have urged the Barack Obama administration to suspend trade benefits for Bangladesh for the time being, international media reported on Tuesday.
read more. & read more. & read more. & read more.

* Tanneries to shift finally:

Tk 800cr placed in budget for CETP construction in Savar

The government has finally decided  to take  the liability of around Tk 800 crore in the budget to complete relocation of tanneries outside the capital as  business people did not come to terms with the government  to bear any relocation cost.

The  government’s liability will be borne for the construction cost of the central effluent treatment plant (CETP) at the new tannery park  at Hemayetpur in Savar at an estimated  cost of around Tk 550 crore
and Tk 250 crore as compensation  to tannery owners, mostly located at city’s  at Hazaribagh.
An inter-ministerial meeting chaired by Finance Minister Abul Maal Abdul Muhith on May 14 took the decision.
read more.

* Remove obstacles to Korean EPZ: Sung tells Bangladesh govt:

Mr. Kihak Sung, chairman of Korean clothing firm Youngone Corporation, has urged the Bangladesh Government to quickly remove the obstacles for full-scale functioning of the Korean Export Processing Zone (KEPZ) that has been set up on 2,492 acres of land in Chittagong.

Speaking to media persons in Dhaka, Mr. Sung, who is also the chairman of KEPZ, asked the Government to quickly execute the deed of transfers of the entire KEPZ lands.

Secondly, Mr. Sung sought the permission to allow all types of industries, including garment units, to function in the KEPZ.

Mr. Sung also urged the Government to allow KEPZ to lease out lands to other factories and early restoration of power supply.

He will be attending a meeting of the board of governors of the private EPZ, scheduled to be held on June 26 in Dhaka, and explain the reasons for operations not being in full swing at the KEPZ.
read more.

* BSCI 10th Anniversary Shame over Rana Plaza:

Audits of two factories in the Rana Plaza building in Savar, Bangladesh, carried out against the BSCI code of conduct completely failed to identify the illegal construction of the building that led to the loss of at least 1131 lives on April 24th 2013.  

Regardless of whether the two BSCI registered factories in Rana Plaza, New Waves Style and Phantom Apparels, were active suppliers to BSCI brands at the time of the collapse, by approving these factories, BSCI, and the system it oversees, provided a misleading assurance to buyers, the government, workers and consumers that this factory met adequate standards. It therefore needs to be actively involved in providing redress for those affected and take steps to prevent future disasters.

Compensating victims and their families is at the heart of redress following the Rana Plaza building collapse.  It is therefore the responsibility of all brands, auditing companies and business-driven initiatives involved in Rana Plaza to contribute to compensation efforts.

“BSCI must actively engage with the compensation process and ensure that its member brands that were buyers in Rana Plaza do the same”, says Ineke Zeldenrust of the Clean Clothes Campaign.
read more.

     THE SAVAR BUILDING COLLAPSE

* Savar Tragedy: Thailand provides 5mn baht in humanitarian aid:

Thailand has provided Bangladesh 5 million baht in humanitarian aid to help the victims of the 9-storey Rana Plaza collapse that left 1,127 people killed in April last.

Thai Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Surapong Tovichakchaikul on Monday handed 166,000 US dollars or around 5 million baht to Bangladesh to help the families and victims of the building collapse, reports the National News Bureau of Thailand (NNT).
The building on the outskirts of capital Dhaka crashed down on April 24 killing 1,127 people and over 2,500 injured.
The Thai foreign minister said Thailand and Bangladesh have had very strong ties when it comes to humanitarian aids. In 2010, Bangladesh gave Thailand 1 million US dollars, around 30 million baht, when the country was hit by severe flood.
to read.

* Uniliver donates Tk 10 lakh for Savar victims:

Uniliver Bangladesh Ltd, a leading business conglomerate, today donated Taka 10 lakh for the Rana Palza victims, reports BSS.

The company handed over a cheque to concerned authorities for the Taka at a simple ceremony at its Polashbari local office in Ashulia.
to read. & to read.

* Rana Plaza tragedy exposes complete disregard for rules:

BGMEA unveils findings of a probe into the nation’s worst industrial disaster today

The Rana Plaza collapsed due to rules being flouted at every step of the way, the BGMEA found in its study.

“The authorities concerned gave nod to construction of six floors on the swampy land, but the building’s owner, Sohel Rana, constructed it right up to the ninth,” a senior official of the garment sector’s apex trade body said.
The official was involved in the investigation commissioned by the Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BGMEA) following the collapse of the building on April 24, killing more than 1,100 people and injuring thousands.
BGMEA Vice-President SA Mannan Kochi led the investigation, whose findings would be made public today via a media briefing.
read more.

* Savar tragedy and what next:

The catastrophe at Rana Plaza cast a pal of gloom throughout the country over the untimely death of 1127 people.

Soon after the collapse of the building, came forward all the private TV channels to inform people of the updated developments there. Rescue workers and the government agencies were prompt to undertake the rescue operation. Kudos for the rescue workers– Bangladesh made an extraordinary achievement in conducting such a gigantic operation.
Now the concern is how the injured persons, particularly those severely injured will maintain their livelihood. Many still ask why this tragedy is. Is it the outcome of politics, or, is it the inevitable consequence of dehumanisation, or, is it the summation of improperly discharging duties in our respective fields?
It creates irritation among the common passengers if the bus they board on causes mechanical disorder halfway to their destination. But why is that? Bus operators ought to have put the bus in good condition before it starts its journey. Needless to say, ensuring fitness of total mechanical system and all other can only make the movement and consequently passengers may enjoy uninterrupted and smooth trip.
read more.

17:08:29 local time INDIA

* Handloom weavers stage demonstration in Erode:

Weavers staging a demonstration in front of the office of the Assistant Director for Handlooms and Textiles in Erode on Monday.- PHOTO: SPECIAL ARRANGEMENT

Weavers of Veerappanchatram staged a demonstration in front of the office of the Assistant Director of Handlooms and Textiles here on Monday urging the State government to give weaving orders for all the dhotis and saris distributed for Pongal, to weavers of cooperative societies in Tamil Nadu.

In a petition submitted to the assistant director, they said that orders to weave the free clothes that were given to cooperative societies in Tamil Nadu – in the previous years – was a supportive source of income for handloom weavers. The free dhotis and saris that were distributed for Pongal in 2013 was procured from other states, they said adding that top Co-optex officials were trying to do the same for 2014. They made an appeal to Chief Minister to help them get orders.
to read.

* Despite relief from power cut, weavers plan to tap solar energy to run their looms:

Many powerloom owners are exploring alternative energy sources

Thousands of power looms in the villages in Coimbatore district reeled under 10 hours or more of power cut a day even a month ago.

Though there is relief from power cut now, thanks to wind energy, many of these loom owners are exploring alternative energy sources.
The high cost of grid power and power shortage in the district is making solar energy attractive to the weavers.
One of the owners of a power loom unit at Karanampettai installed five kW solar panels at a total cost of Rs. 6.5 lakh nearly a month ago.
It gives uninterrupted power supply for more than nine hours a day to operate 10 looms.
read more.

* Demand for textile exports revives:

The US and Europe account for most of India’s apparel exports

With a revival in the US economy, the Indian textile industry has seen resurgence in apparel demand through the last three months.

Fresh orders have been recorded, both for immediate, as well as future deliveries. Apart from the US, apparel exporters have also recorded more orders from Europe. The US and Europe account for most of India’s apparel exports.
In the last few years, the Indian textile industry has seen a crisis of sorts, with the emergence of new competitors Bangladesh and Vietnam. However, of late, the slow growth in Bangladesh’s economy has opened a window of opportunity for the Indian textile industry.
read more.

* MGNREGS workers likely to get more wages:

The committee constituted by the government to review the implementation of the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (MGNREGS) plans to recommend a substantial hike in the wages given for people employed under the scheme.

Former member of the Legislative Assembly M. Murali, who heads the committee, told The Hindu that one of the major suggestions that came up during the consultative meetings with representatives of grama panchayats was regarding wage hike.
read more.

* Surat to soon get international fabric resource centre:

Fabric processors, weavers and traders would also be able to get information like composition, technical aspects and market potential of various fabrics from the proposed centre, Times of India reported.
read more. & read more.
 

17:08:29 local time SRI LANKA

* Devapura’s Tri-Star workers protest:

Over 400 workers at the Tri-Star Apparel factory located in Jayapura near Trincomalee- Colombo road, Thabalagamuwa junction has initiated a protest.

They have thus staged a protest, as they were not paid since last May.
The salary of April has been given in two terms.
When the workers requested for the salary in May the accounting section of the factory has stated that the salary will be given if they gain money.
The famous businessman, Kumara Devapura, owns the particular textile factory.
to read.

16:38:29 local time PAKISTAN

* Key initiatives of textile policy in limbo:

Key initiatives of the textile policy (2009-14) are in limbo, as the government has earmarked Rs 7.5 billion in the budget 2013-14 against the required Rs 25 billion, textile ministry official revealed to Business Recorder.

Expressing serious concerns over the meager allocation in the budget for next fiscal year, the ministry has reportedly decided to raise the issue with finance ministry, to urge the latter to review the allocation.

Textile policy envisaging $25 billion export was announced in 2009, and is going to expire next year. However it failed to achieve the desired results due to multiple reasons including government’s failure to implement the textile policy in letter and in spirit, lack of power/gas utilities and the global perception about the country’s low production capacity, officials maintained. Sources revealed that due to meager allocation by the government during last four years, most of the initiatives announced in the textile policy have not been implemented.
read more.

* Pakistan’s National Assembly approves grants for textiles:

During the debate on approval of grants, Tehreek-i-Insaf’s Shehryar Afridi said there should be more training opportunities so that entrepreneurs could take initiatives, explore new markets, and thereby increase their exports. He urged the Government to take more steps for promotion of trade.
read more.

* ‘Textile sector seeks energy, not subsidies’:

“The textile industry alone is sitting on export orders worth $3 billion that it cannot accept due to energy shortages,” said Gohar Ejaz, group leader All Pakistan Textile Mills Association (APTMA).

In Pakistan, there is no dearth of export orders. Moreover, textile entrepreneurs have made sizeable profits in the last few years and are ready to modernize production techniques to take on more orders. The only impediment is a pressing energy shortage, he explained.

“Pakistan need not go to the IMF if exporters are guaranteed uninterrupted power supply,” he said. He clarified that the textile industry is neither asking for subsidies nor any other concession, except constant power supply.
Disillusioned with the present government, Ejaz said: “New energy managers appear to have been hoodwinked by the bureaucracy that is trying to maintain status quo as it suits a culture of rent seeking.”
read more.