Parliament Question: Meerut as Industrial Hub

GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF COMMERCE & INDUSTRY DEPARTMENT FOR PROMOTION OF INDUSTRY AND INTERNAL TRADE LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 1791. TO BE ANSWERED ON TUESDAY, THE 10TH FEBRUARY, 2026. MEERUT AS INDUSTRIAL HUB 1791. SHRI ARUN GOVIL: Will the Minister of COMMERCE AND INDUSTRY be pleased to state: वाणिज्य एवं उद्योग मंत्री (a) whether Meerut is a globally recognised centre for sports goods, gems and jewellery as well as book publishing and these items are exported to various countries, and whether the Commonwealth Games are proposed to be hosted in India in the year 2030, which is likely to give a significant boost to the sports industry, if so, the details thereof; (b) the manner in which the Export Promotion Mission supports India's export competitiveness and assists exporters in global markets; (c) the manner in which the Export Promotion Council provides support to the exporters based in Meerut; an (d) the amount of funds spent by the Union Government in Meerut for the implementation of the said Mission during the last five years; and (e) the efforts being made by the Government to ensure the availability of British will and Kashmiri willow, which can be used for manufacturing high-quality cricket bats? ANSWER वाणिज्य एवं उद्योग मंत्रालय में राज्य मंत्री (श्री णिणिन प्रसाद) THE MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF COMMERCE & INDUSTRY (SHRI JITIN PRASADA) (a): Meerut is a recognised centre for the manufacturing of sports goods, gems and jewellery as well as book publishing in the country. The city has a long-standing ecosystem of manufacturers, and a part of the sports goods manufactured in Meerut is exported to various countries. Meerut is a manufacturing and export hub for sports goods, such as Athletic Goods (General Exercise Equipment), Cricket Bats, Protective Equipment for Cricket, Table Tennis, Boxing Equipment, Sportswear, Carrom Board, Nets, Cricket & Hockey Balls, and Table Tennis Accessories, with exports to several countries including the UK, USA, Australia, South Africa and EU nations, largely through MSMEs and merchant exporters. As reported by the Sports GoodsExport Promotion Council, approximately 50 members exported sports goods worth ₹1,150.48 crore in Financial Year 2023-24 and ₹902.74 crore in Financial Year 2024-25. The National Council of Applied Economic Research, in its October 2020 “Cluster Mapping Study of the Gems and Jewellery Sector in India”, identified Meerut as a potential gems and jewellery cluster, with 353 units employing 899 workers. India is hosting the Commonwealth Games in 2030. Hosting of the Games is expected to provide a significant impetus to the sports ecosystem in the country, including the development of sports infrastructure, enhancement of manufacturing of sports goods, and growth of related industries. (b): The Export Promotion Mission (EPM), approved by the Cabinet on 12.11.2025, is a flagship initiative announced in the Union Budget 2025-26 to strengthen India’s export competitiveness, particularly for MSMEs, first-time exporters, and labour- intensive sectors, with a total outlay of ₹25,060 crore for the period FY 2025-26 to FY 2030-31. The Mission represents a strategic shift from multiple fragmented schemes to a single, outcome-based and adaptive framework capable of responding swiftly to global trade challenges and evolving exporter needs. The EPM is anchored in a collaborative framework involving the Department of Commerce, Ministry of MSME, Ministry of Finance, and other key stakeholders, including financial institutions, Export Promotion Councils, Commodity Boards, industry associations, and State Governments. The Mission will operate through two integrated sub-schemes: NIRYAT PROTSAHAN - focuses on improving access to affordable trade finance for MSMEs through a range of instruments such as interest subvention, export factoring, collateral guarantees, credit cards for e- commerce exporters, and credit enhancement support for diversification into new markets. NIRYAT DISHA- focuses on non-financial enablers that enhance market readiness and competitiveness, including export quality and compliance support, assistance for international branding, packaging, and participation in trade fairs, export warehousing and logistics, inland transport reimbursements, and trade intelligence and capacity-building initiatives. (c): Presently, there are fourteen Export Promotion Councils under the administrative control of the Department of Commerce. These Councils are registered as non-profit organisations under the Companies Act / Societies Registration Act and perform both advisory and executive functions. Their rolesand functions are guided by the Foreign Trade Policy, 2009-14. These Councils also act as registering authorities for exporters under the said Policy. Some of the major EPCs providing support to exporters in Meerut are:- i. The Gems and Jewellery Export Promotion Council (GJEPC) organises periodic promotional visits to Meerut to engage with members of the trade, apprise them of industry developments, and disseminate information on policy measures. ii. Sports goods and toys exporters based in Meerut are supported through the Sports Goods & Toys Export Promotion Council (SGEPC), which provides assistance in market development, trade promotion activities, dissemination of market intelligence, guidance on standards and certifications, representation of exporters’ issues with the Government, and facilitation of new cluster formation. The Council acts as an interface between exporters and the Government. iii. The UP Export Promotion Council established by the Government of UP in 2016 works as a facilitating Organisation to the Export Promotion Bureau UP. In accordance with the 15 identified export prominent sectors Council has constituted sectoral panel committees of identified sectors to enhance, promote, strengthen the export of the concerned sectors as well as to provide handholding support to the exporters of these sectors. (d): Funds under the erstwhile Market Access Initiative (MAI) Scheme, which is now subsumed under the Export Promotion Mission (EPM), are scheme-based and sector-specific and are not allocated or maintained on a city-wise basis. Exporters in Meerut have benefitted from the Scheme/Mission through approved activities implemented at the national and sectoral level during the last five years. (e): British willow is imported by manufacturers as per requirement, subject to applicable import and plant quarantine regulations. However, the availability of Kashmir willow is restricted under the Willow Prohibition Act, 2000 of Jammu & Kashmir. Under this Act, movement of Kashmir willow outside Jammu & Kashmir is not permitted. *********