Government aims to develop 10 Craft and Handloom Villages in India, says Irani

New Delhi: Union Minister Smriti Irani on Friday said the government is aiming to develop ten Craft and Handloom Villages in the country so that tourists from across the globe can visit them and learn the rich legacy of Indian weavers and lend support to the Make in India initiative. Irani shared the Textiles Ministry's vision while addressing a function through video conferencing to mark the National Handloom Day.

Almost 95 per cent of the handwoven fabrics used globally are produced in India.

The minister said the National Handloom Awards, which are presented on the occasion of the Handloom Day, are being deferred upon the request of weavers who wish to celebrate the honour instead of receiving it digitally due to the prevailing circumstances posed by COVID-19.

"It is our goal to develop ten Craft and Handloom Villages across the country so that our Handloom products are not limited to clothes or home furnishing alone. We want that tourists from India and across the world visit these special Craft and Handloom Villages to not only learn about the weavers but also contribute to our pledge of Make in India and Aatmanirbhar Bharat (Self Reliant nation)," said the minister for Textiles and Women and Child Development. Irani shared that students from the National Institute of Fashion Technology (NIFT) are contributing to the upgradation of 9 out of 28 Weavers' Service Centres across the country in terms of design, marketing and research. These centres are located in Delhi, Srinagar, Jaipur, Mumbai, Ahmedabad, Varanasi, Guwahati, Kanchipuram and Bhubaneswar.

She said it is the government's endeavour to ensure upgradation of all weavers' service centres through NIFT students to strengthen the rich legacy of handloom in India.

Irani said the 'My Handloom' portal launched on the occasion will help in connecting state government undertakings, agencies and cooperative societies with the Centre's schemes for weavers to know about their status and benefits.

Highlighting the importance of the country's handloom, Textiles Secretary Ravi Capoor said 95 per cent of the handwoven fabrics used globally are produced in India.