Foundation stones of seven ‘handloom common facility centres’ were laid today in Varanasi, by Uttar Pradesh governor Ram Naik, in the presence of textile minister, Santosh Kumar Gangwar.
The governor said that there is a need for the weavers to adopt their ways of working, in accordance with latest technology and changing market demands. Addressing the gathering, the union textiles minister said that a National Institute of Fashion Technology (NIFT) sub-centre is being planned in Varanasi. Talking about the common facility centres, the minister said those will help Varanasi’s one lakh weavers in upgrading their skills and thereby empowering themselves. He said that the schemes serve to fulfill Pandit Deendayal Upadhyay’s dream to bring the fruits of development to the last mile, based on the principle of ‘Sabka Saath Sabka Vikas’, as espoused by the Prime Minister, Narendra Modi.
Textiles Secretary, Sanjay Kumar Panda and Development Commissioner (Handlooms), Alok Kumar who were also present underline the objectives of centres and the modalities of setting up and operating them.
The centres are being set up in Varanasi Mega Handloom Cluster, under the Comprehensive Handloom Cluster Development Scheme. Those will provide infrastructural and other kinds of support to groups of handloom weavers at block level.
The centres will be set up preferably by strengthening existing infrastructure in the primary weavers’ cooperative societies, running in profit, in the area. Where there is no such facility, it may be developed on a piece of land to be provided by the gram panchayats / any donor or state government. Each centre will be manned by one handloom diploma holder who possesses requisite technical knowledge on handlooms.
