Centre will promote Odisha handloom products: Textile Secy

The Central Government will promote Odisha handloom products in the international market, a top Textile Ministry official said on Wednesday.

Odisha weavers have preserved the beautiful art of handloom and carved a niche for themselves in the national market, Union Textiles Secretary Ravi Capoor said at a function held on the 5th National Handloom Day here.

The Textiles ministry will not only preserve this great heritage but will also further try to make it a fashion statement in the international market, he said.

"As a result the weavers will get 10 times more price on their hard labour," Capoor said, adding that the Textiles ministry is mulling how to make handloom an international fashion.

"We are trying to reduce middlemen in the trade of handloom products, so that the weavers get a handsome price for their products," he said.

"Only eight to ten countries of the world are enriched in the handloom sector. India certainly has the potential to create a special identity for them in the world arena in this field. For that there is a lot of work to be done in the handloom sector," the Union Textile secretary said. Emphasising that Odisha weavers are doing a great job in this respect, Capoor said the government is implementing a number of schemes for the weavers and they should grab these in both their hands.

The young generation should be encouraged to stick to this field with a proper marketing strategy, he said. Fourteen ace weavers, including two Padma Shri awardees Gobardhan Panik and Chaturbhuja Meher, were felicitated on this occasion.

Fourth All India Handloom Census Report was released by the dignitaries.

Identity cards were presented to five weavers to mark the launch of distribution of Pehchan card on pan India basis, while Yarn passbook were presented to five persons to mark the launch of distribution of Yarn passbook on pan India basis.

A documentary film on weaving tradition was screened and a handloom exhibition depicting the rich heritage of the state was organised.

Among others Padmini Dian, Odisha's Minister of State for Handloom, Textile and Handicrafts and Sanjay Rastogi, Development Commissioner, Handloom, Government of India were also present at the function.