Use eco-friendly handloom products for economic growth : K Lamlee Kamei
Source: The Sangai Express / DIPR
Imphal, August 11 2016 :
Manipur Handloom and
Handicrafts Development
Corporation is grooming
several weavers working in
handloom sector in a
commercial scale, said K
Lamlee Kamei, Dy Director
Commerce and Industries
during the 66th press
conference organized by DIPR.
Additional fund has not
been allotted for restructuring
of the Corporation however
grooming of handloom weav-
ers and handicrafts artisans
have been done to save local
entrepreneurs from being ex-
ploited.
Yarn distribution, buy-
back arrangement from
weavers and artisans and de-
mand chain between the
producers and marketing
agent are also taken up.
The
Corporation is not working to
earn profit but to render serv-
ices to deserving skilled
weavers and artisans of
Manipur.
He appealed to use eco-
friendly handloom clothes for
boost the State's economy.
The main objectives of the
Company are to develop, aid,
advise, assist, finance, pro-
tect and promote the interest
of handloom and handicrafts
units in the State whether
owned by the Government,
statutory body, company,
firm or an individual and to
provide them with capital,
credit means resources and
technical and managerial as-
sistance, to enable them to
develop and improve their
methods of manufacturing,
management, marketing and
their techniques of produc-
tion.
The Corporation is buying
various selective finished
products of handloom and
handicrafts from local manu-
facturers for resale mainly at
Panthoibi Manipur Empo-
rium, Baba Kharak Singh
Marg, New Delhi and
Dakshinapan, Dhakuria Com-
plex, Kolkata.
The Corporation also or-
ganizes National Handloom
Expo, Gandhi Shilp Bazar,
Special Handloom Expo and
Thematic Exhibition at Dhaka
and Mandalay.
In Manipur,
handloom activities like, siz-
ing, bleaching, winding,
warping, weaving and em-
broidery are mainly practiced
by women.
Mass production
of handloom clothes is not
possible as women are too
busy in other work activities
as well.
Promotion of male
weavers was carried out to
increase production.
Com-
merce and Industries
Department initiated the ac-
tivities on August 19, 2013
and provided Rs 42.47 lakh
for promotion of male weav-
ers.
A total of 137 male
weavers were identified.
Training on jacquard
weaving was conducted by
the Weavers' Service Centre,
Ministry of Textiles, Govt of
India, Imphal for 60 days with
stipend.
After the completion
of the training, all the male
weavers were provided 100%
technical equipment of a loom
with jacquard set each.
High-
est demand in both Kolkata
and Delhi Emporia are cotton
and silk saris.
Accordingly, the State
Government has provided Rs
50 lakh for conducting
trainings and equipment sub-
sidy to 166 cotton and sari
weavers who were selected on
February 27, 2016.Training
has started at Panthoibi Ar-
cade, Wangkhei and Patsoi
from August 7.
Panthoibi Arcade was con-
structed at the cost of Rs 4.88
crore in 2013 and inaugu-
rated by the Chief Minister
on November 26,2015. En-
trepreneurs for operating the
shops were selected on Octo-
ber 22, 2015.
The Arcade was opened
on August 7, 2016 with (i)
exhibition of designers' prod-
ucts, (ii) inauguration of
training of cotton & silk
weavers and (iii) distribution
of yarn on credit basis to
trained male weavers.
The Corporation has ob-
tained approval of the
National Handloom Devel-
opment Corporation Ltd,
Lucknow for operating a yarn
depot under Yarn Supply
Scheme, Govt of India.
Accordingly, a Centralized
Yarn Depot for cotton and
silk yarn was inaugurated
February 27, 2016 at Paona
Bazar, Imphal.
The Govt of India has
approved and sanctioned Rs
799.764 lakh to cover 9250
weavers of five blocks of
Manipur in 2015-16 and
2016-17 under National
Handloom Development Pro-
gramme (NHDP).
Implementation of CFC un-
der Infrastructure and
Technology Support Scheme
has been taken up.
The objective of CFC is to
ensure economy of scale,
price competiveness, quality
control, application of design
and technology input on con-
tinuous basis, scope of
product diversification and
higher unit value realization
and compliance with WTO
compatible standards.
Planning Department was
proposed for construction of
marketing complex for
handloom and handicrafts
products of Manipur at
MHHDC Complex, Paona
Bazar, Imphal at the cost of
Rs 14.98 crore under NEC.
The Complex is meant for
administrative office, empo-
rium and shops for renting
out to entrepreneurs as well.
In collaboration with an
apex society, the Corporation
is planning to procure 1.5
lakh school phanek for sup-
plying them to private schools
in association with the All
Manipur Recognized Private
School Welfare Association
from 2017 onwards.
On April 8, 2016, a MoU
was signed between IOC Ltd
and the Corporation for
opening of sale kiosks in se-
lective retail outlets of IOC
across the NE States.
S Brajamani Sharma, Ac-
count officer also attended the
press conference.
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