Piyush Goyal, Minister for Commerce and Industry, and Consumer Affairs and Food & Public Distribution has been appointed as the new textile minister in place of Smriti Zubin Irani, Women and Child Development Minister.
Goyal assured that he would aim to improve the sector and boost exports to promote the government’s vision to develop Brand India. According to Invest India, the textiles and apparel industry provides direct employment to 45 million people and 60 million people in allied industries, according to Invest India, and contributes 5 per cent to India’s gross domestic product.
Goyal said that government aims to strengthen this sector by creating a synergy between commerce and industry. Goyal was earlier the Minister of Railways and Coal (2017-19). He has also held additional charge of Minister of Finance and Corporate Affairs twice in 2018 and 2019. Earlier he was Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Power, Coal, New & Renewable Energy from 2014-19 and Mines from 2016-17
