MANITEX awareness cycle rally flagged off
Nemcha calls for promoting local handloom and handicrafts
Source: Chronicle News Service / DIPR

Imphal, October 29 2022: Minister for Textiles, Commerce & Industry Nemcha Kipgen on Saturday flagged off a cycle rally from Kangla western gate hete in connection with the upcoming Manipur International Textiles Expo (MANITEX), 2022 .

The Expo used to be organised annually by Directorate of Handloom and Textiles but had to be suspended for two years due to Covid-19 pandemic.

MANITEX-2022 will be held from November 5 to 14at Urban Haat, Nilakuthi.

The cycle rally organised jointly by Directorate of Handloom and Textiles and Manipur Adventurer and Mountain Biking Association (MAAMBA) was participated by over 100 pedlars including handloom weavers, handicrafts artisans, celebrities and enthusiastic members with the aim of spreading the message of promoting and preserving cultural heritage.

Renowned Manipuri film artistes namely G Bony Sharma, Biju Ningombam, Gepelina and Maxina Paonam also took part in the rally.

During the flag off event, textiles minister Nemcha expressed gratitude to all the participants for extending support to MANITEX, 2022.The expo will surely provide a market space to showease the products of local handloom weavers and artisans, she said and urged people of the state to encourage and use local handloom and handicrafts products to further contribute in the socio-economic development of Manipur.

The cycle rally covered around 10 kms passing through Lamsang-Khurkhul-Pheidinga and culminated at Urban Haat, Nilakuthi.

It may be mentioned that the rally was received and flagged off from different spots along the route by the local MLAs including at Lamsang by its MLA S Rajen Singh, at Khurkhul by minister for social welfare and fishery H Dingo, at Pheidinga by Wangkhei MLA Th Arunkumar Singh and final reception at Urban Haat, Nilakuthi by Manipur Handloom and Handicrafts Development Corporation (MHHDC) Limited chairman Kh Ibomcha.

The flag off ceremony was also attended by MHHDC chairman Kh Ibomcha, Directorate of Handloom and Handicraft director Lamlee Kamei, MHHDC MD E Jeeten, officers and officials.

Later, a structure named 'Potteries pillar' made by stacking more than 100 clay pots was inaugurated by chairman Kh Ibomcha during the reception ceremony.

Dr Kh Ibomcha, during the reception function, said that handloom and textiles are closely related with socio-economic condition of Manipur.

According to 2019 census report, the state has 2.12 lakh weavers and 2.11 lakh looms, he informed, while stating that the art of handloom and handicrafts has been with the people since time immemorial.

The local handloom and handicraft products are in great demand among the people of other states and countries.

The expo will give opportunity to weavers to showcase their products to people from outside the state, he added.

It may be mentioned that MANITEX, the Manipur International Textile Expo was conceived on May 22, 2018 with the objective to showcase the textile products of Manipur.

The upcoming expo will have 274 stalls including stalls of local weavers, artisans, entrepreneurs, state private companies, financial institutes, textile machinery equipment, state government departments, national level organisations, regional level organisations along with stalls from Thailand, Bangladesh and Myanmar.

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