Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Vijay has urged Prime Minister Narendra Modi to remove the 11% import duty on cotton, citing a severe crisis in the textile sector that employs many rural women. He reported a 25% increase in cotton prices over the past two months, which threatens jobs and the state's textile exports.

• 01Tamil Nadu's textile sector is facing a crisis due to rising cotton and yarn prices.
• 02Cotton prices have surged by 25% from ₹54,700 to ₹67,700 per candy in two months.
• 03Yarn prices have also increased from ₹301 to ₹330 per kg, exacerbating material shortages.
• 04The chief minister has requested a reduction of the import duty on cotton from 11% to 0%.
• 05The textile industry is crucial for employment, especially for women in rural areas.

Removing the import duty could stabilize cotton prices, ensuring a steady supply of raw materials for the textile industry, which in turn protects jobs for thousands of rural women.