Hand Woven Garment Fair 2017 inaugurated
Govt working on industrial policy to accelerate economic growth : Biswajit
Source: The Sangai Express / DIPR
Imphal, October 16 2017:
The present Government is working on an industrial policy to facilitate the much-needed acceleration of economic growth and development of the State, said Textiles, Commerce and Industry Minister Thongam Biswajit Singh .
He was addressing the inaugural function of the Hand Woven Garment Fair 2017 at Panthoibi Complex, Paona Shopping Complex, International Market today
He said that the Government under the leadership Chief Minister Biren Singh is deliberating on how to attract foreign investors and promote local entrepreneurs so that these could be incorporated into the policy .
Manipur has everything, we have human talent, natural resources, the only thing we need is investors, he said, adding that attracting investors will certainly give a boost to the State's economy and at the same time help in solving the unemployment problem .
Even bigger States like Karnataka and Maharashtra invite investors, so we should also invite and attract investors, he added .
The Minister said that the Government is organising a business summit on the first two days of the Manipur Sangai Festival under the initiative of the Chief Minister .
He informed that invitations will be extended to successful and top businessmen from all over the world.
The Government is also considering cotton plantation at Jiribam and Kwatha as a pilot project and revival of the Spinning Mill, he said.
He also highlighted the need to promote pottery in the State as it is also a part of our tradition .
Maintaining that the Government alone cannot bring development, Biswajit said that the people should not wait for only the Government to do everything .
It is also time to move away from the mind-set that Government job alone is employment.
We should also promote the private sector.
Development would come only when we help ourselves.
A State can never be developed or prosperous without industrialisation, he said .
He observed that every household in the State has a loom and handloom and handicraft is a tradition of the State .
Stating that the State has the highest number of weavers in the country today, he said that for quite some years handloom and handicraft of the State witnessed a decline as our people preferred things brought from outside disregarding our own products .
The major concern of the Government in the sector is to increase both the production and income of the weavers, the Minister said, adding that unemployment, lack of earning opportunities and meagre income are main problems of the State .
Minister Biswajit also spoke on the need for patenting the indigenous products .
Chairman of Manipur Handloom and Handicrafts Development Corporation Ltd, S Rajen Singh said that several schemes have been undertaken for the welfare of the weavers .
He also said that we should promote local products to improve our economy .
Principal Secretary, Textiles, Commerce and Industry, P Vaiphei said that the fair is different from others as the products are woven by people of the land .
He made an observation that the products would get good market but there is a need to publicise and advertise the products so that people would be aware of it .
We should ensure that supply is adequate to meet the demand, he said, adding that inability to meet the demand would send out a negative message .
The inaugural function was also attended by Handloom and Textiles Director K Lamlee Kamei.
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