India

Hundreds of garment workers in Chennai staged a protest on July 22 insisting that a minimum wage increase passed into law earlier this year be implemented. In February the government announced a US$49 increase in minimum wages, though many workers say that they are still receiving the 2004 minimum wage, which ranges from US$65 to US$98.(Scroll.in)

Garment industry officials in India say that garment exports from the country could top US$300 billion by 2024, nearly ten times the current level. The announcement was made as part of the revealing of the Vision, Strategy, and Action Plan for Indian Textiles and Apparels presented by the National Manufacturing Competitiveness Council, who also noted that additional investments of US$120 billion would be needed in order to reach that goal. The industry is also expected to create an additional 35 million jobs over the next 10 years as well.(Fibre2Fashion)