The mission would help the country achieve the goal of becoming a major producer and stable exporter of cotton and cotton textiles, he said. Tentatively, an outlay of Rs 593 crore has been earmarked for implementing the mission jointly by the Union and state governments during the remaining period of the current Plan.

Noting that the technology upgradation fund scheme had been launched on April 1, 1999, the Prime Minister felt that by synergising the scheme with the technology mission for cotton would bring about revolutionary changes in the textile sector.

Under the mission, research, development, marketing and processing of cotton have been brought under one umbrella to achieve the goal in a reasonable period of time.

In this regard, Vajappyee said that transfer of technology from laboratory to the field would be given maximum emphasis so that growers derived optimium benefits. It would however be necessary to fix targets in each sector and monitor the progress and make mid-term corrections wherever necessary, he stressed.