Piyush Goyal inaugurates design resource centre at Kancheepuram, weavers service centre at Raigarh

New Delhi [India], August 7 (ANI): Union Minister of Textiles, Commerce and Industry, Consumer Affairs & Food and Public Distribution Piyush Goyal on Saturday inaugurated Design Resource Centre at Kancheepuram, TamilNadu, and Building of Weavers' Service Centre at Raigarh, Chhatisgarh on the 7th National Handloom Day.
Piyush Goyal has said that steps need to be taken to increase the production capacities of the handloom sector from the existing 60 thousand crore rupees to over one lakh 25 thousand crore rupees within three years. He added that a target must be set to increase the export of handloom items from the existing 2,500 crore rupees to 10,000 crore rupees in the next three years.
Addressing an event on the occasion of 7th National Handloom Day here today, Shri Goyal said that nation is committed to ensuring sustainable development of the handloom sector thereby empowering handloom weavers and workers financially and instilling pride in their exquisite craftsmanship.
The minister informed that the clarion call of the Prime Minister, national level "My Handloom My Pride Expo" is being organized at Dilli Haat, New Delhi from 1st August to 15th August 2021 by National Handloom Development Corporation (NHDC) to celebrate the 7th National Handloom Day.
The exhibition will be open to the public from 11 am to 8 pm for fifteen days up to August 15, 2021, and more than 10,000 people are expected to visit the exhibition.
Goyal added that to commemorate this historical occasion, and to celebrate our handloom tradition, Prime Minister Narendra Modi declared 7th August as National Handloom Day in 2015.
In the 75th year of independence, Prime Minister has urged all of us as a nation to buy Indian Handloom products and showcase their grandeur by associating with #MyHandloomMyPride.
He congratulated National Handloom Development Corporation (NHDC) for setting up three handloom craft villages at Kovalam, Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala, Mohpara Village, District Golaghat, Assam and Kanihama, Budgam, Srinagar in collaboration with the respective State governments.
Goyal advised the Handloom Development Corporation to rejuvenate this sector with new ideas thoughts and the latest technological advancements as per the changing requirements. He said that it is very important to think intelligently as to how this sector can stand on its own feet without the government's support. He said, 'by making ourselves Atmanirbhar, we can make India Atmanirbhar.'
In his address Secretary Ministry of Textiles, UP Singh said that an e-commerce portal is being developed in coordination with Digital India Corporation (under MEITY) for handloom weavers and handicraft artisans.
This will enable our weavers and artisans to sell directly to consumers. He further said that in order to support the handloom sector and to enable a wider market, steps have been taken to onboard weavers onto the Government e-Marketplace (GeM).
This step would enable weavers to sell their products directly to various Government Departments and organizations. So far about 1.50 lakh weavers have been on-boarded on the GeM portal, he added.
Darshana Jardosh, Union State Minister of Textiles was also present at the event. (ANI)