With an intention to educate the weavers with latest and eco-friendly techniques designs, how to increase their production capacity, how to make use of natural colour in colouring their handloom products, available handicraft promotion schemes and to whom they can approach for help, a workshop was organised in Handloom expo-2013-14 at parade ground, Dehradun on Sunday.
The expo is being jointly organised by Union textile ministry and Uttarakhand Handloom and handicraft development council (UHHDC), Industrial directorate at parade ground Dehradun. In which weavers from all the districts of Uttarakhand and other States including Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh, Jharkhand, West Bengal, Bihar, Rajasthan, Haryana, Jammu & Kashmir, Odisha, Delhi, Himachal Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh and Punjab.
Additional Secretary of MSME and Khadi Kishannath said that Union and State Government have made several schemes by keeping in view of artisans’ requirement.To spread its benefit across the State especially in remote areas there is an immediate need to make effort jointly. At present more than 75 lakh families are associated in weaving or handloom industry and making 30 per cent contribution in nation total export.
In Uttarakhand alone 75,000 families have adopted this as livelihood. These data itself speaks demands of handloom industry. This would be second after agriculture. In view of this union and State Government prepare plan at every stage. Now there is a need to give stress on its design, colour, marketing and export of handloom products.
Additional Director Sudhir Nautiyal said that in 12th five year plan handloom sector was given more focus and made planning for its Marketing, social security, quality and production. A special arrangements were made on National Health Insurance scheme, cluster development, executive and urban haat as well. We are organising such exhibition in each district and urban haat is being developed in Dehradun. Besides it we are also working on weaver credit card schemes.
In seminar weavers were apprised about the latest technology and products, which were manufactured by national institute of Design (NID) Ahmadabad. They were also informed about national and State Government schemes. Experts also introduced them about latest design, how to develop their production capacity, eco friendly technique, how to colour your product with natural colour, handicraft schemes and to whom they can approach for help.
Other dignitaries including joint director industry UK Joshi, NABARD Bhaskar Pant, General Manager Dehradun Kaushalya Bandu, Industry directorate MS Rawat and others had also delivered their lecture to them. During interactive session experts also come to know about the weaver’s problem.