Surat: The city’s textile industry has taken its concerns directly to New Delhi, with the leadership of the Southern Gujarat Chamber of Commerce and Industry (SGCCI) raising issues ranging from market shifts and machinery modernisation to yarn and fabric-related policy matters before Union textile minister Giriraj Singh.The issues were discussed at a meeting in New Delhi on Thursday, where SGCCI representatives outlined challenges facing Surat’s textile ecosystem.SGCCI president Ashok Jirawala highlighted day-to-day operational hurdles encountered by textile entrepreneurs, including changing market dynamics, capacity utilisation concerns and the need for technology upgrades.Jirawala was in the national capital to attend Textile Conclave 2026, organised by Laghu Udyog Bharti.About the interaction, he said the minister reiterated the Centre’s focus on strengthening textile MSMEs through improved access to finance and greater integration with global markets.“At the event, the minister said the Centre was committed to strengthening textile MSMEs by improving access to finance and connecting them to global markets through export facilitation centres. He shared that the ministry had held consultations with the department of financial services and bankers to ensure smoother credit flow for textile units,” said Jirawala.Industry representatives also raised policy issues related to yarn and fabric, along with concerns linked to competitiveness and operational efficiency in the textile sector.Sources in the trade said Giriraj Singh is likely to visit Surat next week and participate in events related to the city’s textile industry.
