Centre & state to set-up Weavers Services, design centre at Kullu
Shimla: The central government has decided to set-up a weaver Services and Design Resource Centre at Kullu in Himachal Pradesh, which will be one of its own kind hub to promote and facilitate the continuous growth of the local handloom projects to compete in the global market.
This was announced at Kullu by union minister for Commerce and textiles Piyush Goyal,who flew to Kullu this morning to interact with weavers and artisans engaged in the making of handloom and handicrafts in Himachal Pradesh.
Kullu–a district though known for being a world famed tourist destination, is also a nerve centre of the traditional handicrafts and handloom, where almost every third rural house has direct or indirect linkage with the handicraft, as one of the key resources of livelihood. The setting-up of the centre, said union minister, will help to recognise the technical needs of handloom weavers and to provide all possible technical assistance in terms of design input, technical advice in weaving/dyeing printing etc. to weavers and all concerned to the Handloom Sector.
It will also provide a better platform for export of these products in the international market. CM Jai Ram Thakur was also present during the interaction and briefed the minister about some of the landmark works done by the local weavers, handloom sector and state government owned HP Handicrafts and handloom corporation.
Himachal Pradesh has immense potential for handicrafts and skill up-gradation of artisans, modern equipment and training would be imparted to prepare qualitative new designs in the Weavers Service Center. Kullu itself has a huge export potential, which remains fully untapped as the products made here by the weavers and local womenfolk have international demand.
He said that more attention was needed to modernize the design, quality, packaging and marketing so that the weavers get better price for their products in the international market, Goyal stressed. The Union Minister suggested organising district-wise exhibitions of these products in big cities, people associated with the textile industry and five star hotels so that their branding could be done at national and international level. He asked the weavers to get their trademark for which the central government had reduced the registration fee by 80 percent.
He also interacted with the entrepreneurs of the district and distributed woodcraft, handloom, embroidery machines and certificates to the local handicraft and handloom artisans.
There are 13,572 registered weavers in the state whose livelihood was related to the skill of weaving and embroidery. The handkerchief of Chamba along-with Kullu shawl and cap and the shawl of Kinnaur had been given G.I. Tags. In order to facilitate online sales platforms for weavers, MoU had been signed with Flipkart and the department was also doing online sale of products.
Kullu districts handicraft especially caps and shawls were recognised internationally. When any head of state comes to India, the Prime Minister welcomes him with a kullavi cap and muffler which is a matter of pride for the state. He urged the weavers to preserve the traditional clothes as they were associated with our culture as well, the Chief Minister added. Managing Director of Handicrafts and Handloom Corporation Kumud Singh informed about the handicrafts of the state.
Earlier the minister visited Atal Rohtang Tunnel, world's highest engineering landmark at a height of 10,000 height to provide all weather connectivity to Lahaul-Spiti, Leh and Ladakh, bordering China.
