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Aid
for handloom sector, second biggest employer
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Union Minister for Textiles Shankersinh Vaghela
laying the foundation stone of ‘Handloom Marketing
Complex’ in New Delhi
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New
Delhi: The foundation stone has been laid for a new
Handloom Marketing Complex in New Delhi. The complex,
exclusively for the handloom fabrics representing various
parts of India, is being set up on 1.779 acres of land
at Janpath, New Delhi and the project will cost is about
Rs. 42 cr. The complex will have double two bay basement
parking space and will start functioning tentatively by
October 2010. The complex will house products from some
of the best handloom producing organizations such as Handloom
House Co-optex, APCO, CCIC and other reputed organizations.
It will also have space for a Dilli Haat type atmosphere
wherein weavers from throughout the country will be invited
for a 14-day period to exhibit their fabrics and sell
their products. Besides this, there will be a restaurant,
Conference Hall and other facilities.
The handloom sector is the second largest employment generating
sector in our country, next only to agriculture, employing
about 65 lakh people, out of which about 60 per cent are
women. Therefore, the contribution of handwoven textiles
to employment, textile production and export earnings
is significant not only from an economic angle but also
from a social angle.
The
Government is committed to help handloom weavers to meet
the challenges of globalization and modernization, said
Union Minister for Textiles Shankersinh Vaghela, laying
the foundation stone of complex here on Tuesday. He said,
“Our initiatives cover all aspects of production and raw
material supply, design and technical assistance, training
and skill up-gradation, marketing and welfare of weavers”.
Vaghela informed that the Government has introduced 5
handloom schemes for overall development of the sector
and welfare of the weavers in the XIth Plan. Welcoming
the setting up of the complex, Chief Minister of Delhi
Sheila Dikshit said that it is a gift to Delhi shoppers
because it is completely devoted to the weavers to showcase
their handloom products. Minister of State for Textiles
Elangovan said that the Government has been striving to
provide maximum social security to the weavers and their
family. He said “Our endeavour is to empower the weaver,
in terms of finance, technology, information, marketing
support and so on, so that he gets self-sustainable employment”.
He informed that conducting the “Third Census for Handlooms
& Issue of Photo Identity Cards to eligible Handloom Weavers”
across the country is one of the major initiatives taken
by the Government. The work on third All India Handloom
Census is likely to be completed by December 2009. Photo
Identity Cards will be issued to all the eligible handloom
weavers enumerated during the census operations.
- Feb 17, 2009
