Union Minister of Commerce and Industry and Textiles Piyush Goyal on Sunday announced that a Weaver Services and Design Resource Centre will be set up in Kullu to encourage attractive handicraft products of Himachal besides providing a better platform for export of these products in the international market.
The Union Minister made this announcement during an interaction programme with handicrafts and handloom artisans under Seva and Samarpan campaign on the occasion of golden jubilee of the statehood of Himachal Pradesh at Kullu. Chief Minister Jai Ram Thakur presided over the function.
Goyal said that 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.
He said that more attention is needed to modernize the design, quality, packaging and marketing so that the weavers get better prices for their products in the international market.
The Union Minister suggested organizing district-wise exhibitions of these products in big cities so that their branding could be done at national and international level.
He also asked the weavers to get their trademark for which the Central Government had reduced the registration fee by 80 percent.
Goyal also interacted with the entrepreneurs of the district and distributed woodcraft, handloom, embroidery machines and certificates to the local handicraft and handloom artisans.
Speaking on the occasion, Chief Minister Jai Ram Thakur said that necessary steps had been taken to encourage the artisans of the state.
At present, there are 13572 registered weavers in the state whose livelihood are 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, he said.
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, Thakur said.
The Chief Minister further said that there had been a big change in the design and quality of handicrafts and handloom products in the state in the last 50 years and thousands of families had made it a means of livelihood. Kullu’s handicraft, especially caps and shawls, were recognized internationally. Whenever any head of state comes to India, Prime Minister Narendra Modi welcomes him with a kullavi cap and muffler which is a matter of pride for the state, he added.
Thakur urged the weavers to preserve the traditional clothes as they are associated with the culture as well.