The Government is trying to rope in leading fashion designers to make and promote ‘Banarasi sarees’ under its “Make in India” initiative. The effort would be to set up factories in the holy city and ensure better wages to saree weavers in Varanasi, which happens to be Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s lok Sabha constituency. The famed Indian nine-yard wear now stares at bad time and its demand has seen a sustained decline.
BJP leader Shaina NC, herself a fashion designer, who met Union Textile Minister Santosh Gangwar on Monday said the issued of “reviving” Indian handloom was discussed and a beginning is to be made with Banarasi sarees. leading fashion and textile designers like Ritu Kumar, Manish Malhotra, Sandeep Khosla, Shruti Sancheti, Anita Dongre, Rina Dhaka, and others will come together to promote Banarasi sarees as part of the ‘Make in India’ campaign to design, manufacture and produce the sarees in Varanasi and thereby generate employment.
Asked whether the Government would ensure that weavers are given proper wages, Shaina said it would be for private designers (not Government) to fix the wages, which may be in the range of Rs15,000 to Rs18,000 a month, along with Provident Fund. The Government, she said, would help in publicising Banarasi sarees nationally and internationally. Every designer will have his own brand to sell these sarees. Shaina said meetings with weavers’ associations were already held and weavers’ clusters were also identified in the city.
The Government and Union Textile Ministry will maximise its contribution, as well as that of private players, by focusing on national-level promotion through top-quality media campaigns, exhibitions, and shows for the awareness and promotion of the contemporary hand-made sarees, the BJP leader said. Power looms would be set up in Varanasi which would absorb a large number of unskilled or low skilled unemployed workers. “This product line will finally be exhibited in all major museums of India to showcase talent and textile, and then promote it under the ‘Make in India’ brand on the international forum,” she said.