Modi's Varanasi constituency gets NIFT centre

National Institute of Fashion Technology (NIFT) has launched a centre in Varanasi, the parliamentary constituency of Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

The centre, which would focus on textile designing, has been opened as a satellite centre of NIFT, Rae Bareli. Varanasi is a textiles hub specialising in silk and is world famous for ‘Banarasi Sari’.

“We have recently launched a small centre in Varanasi and are offering textile design related courses of 4 and 6 months to students,” NIFT Rae Bareli Director Dr Bharat Sah told Business Standard. About 30 students are enrolled with NIFT Varanasi satellite centre.

Interestingly, Uttar Pradesh is only state, where NIFT centres are not located in the state capital. However, both Varanasi and Rae Bareli are VIP constituencies with the latter being represented in Parliament by Congress president Sonia Gandhi.

While, some faculties have been hired locally in Varanasi, NIFT plans to utilise its fulltime faculty in Rae Bareli to take share time for taking classes at both the places.

“Our plan is to ramp up the Varanasi centre to offer two-year diploma courses in textiles designing. This could very well materialise this year as well,” Sah added.

NIFT had confabulated with the textile industry and taken their feedback before launching the Varanasi centre, so that the course curriculum could be designed to suit their requirements.

“Apart from training of students, NIFT Varanasi centre would also be offering design inputs with regards to accessories, fashion, leather and fashion communication,” he said.

Currently, NIFT Rae Bareli, which started functioning in 2007, has over 400 students on rolls and it offers 5 courses, including the Post Graduate and Bachelors. It has about 18 regular faculties apart from contractual and guest faculties to take classes.

Ever since, Modi was elected from Varanasi, the temple town has witnessed several new initiatives and projects. In December 2015, Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe had visited Varanasi along with Modi and participated in the ‘Ganga Arti’ on the banks of river Ganga.

Some of the major projects and initiatives in Varanasi after Modi was elected PM in May 2014 include:

1. In August 2014, Modi had handed over a map of Varanasi to Kyoto Mayor Daisaka Kadokawa under a proposal to develop the ancient town into a Smart Heritage City based on Kyoto Model.
2. In Mar 2016, Modi adopted Nagepur, a village dominated by backward castes under the Saansad Adarsh Gram Yojana (SAGY). This was the second village adopted by Modi after Jayapur in Varanasi.
3. In May 2016, Modi had launched environmental friendly solar-powered e-boats at the Assi Ghat for a cleaner Ganga.
4. UP government proposed a Metro Rail in Varanasi and a Detailed Project Report (DPR) has been approved by the state cabinet.
5. Project for the beautification of Varanasi ghats underway.
6. The ghats of Varanasi have free wi-fi facility, while the union tourism ministry has announced a special project for restoration and beautification of the ghats.
7. The Centre has launched trade facilitation centers for weavers