Weaver Services and Design Resource Center to be set up in Kullu, Himachal Pradesh

New Delhi, Sept 27 (KNN) Union Minister for Commerce & Industry & Textiles Piyush Goyal announced that a Weaver Services and Design Resource Center will be set up in Kullu district of Himachal Pradesh to encourage attractive handicraft products of the state besides providing a better platform for export of these products in the international market.

The Minister was speaking at an interaction programme with handicrafts and handloom artisans organized under 'Seva & Samarpan Abhiyan' to commemorate the golden jubilee year of statehood of Himachal Pradesh, in Kullu yesterday.

Union Minister Piyush Goyal said that Himachal Pradesh possesses tremendous talent and potential with magical hands that are weaving beautiful art products. He said there is a need to work proactively by the State & Central Ministries to bring these products into the international market in a befitting manner.

He said that more attention was needed to modernize the design, quality, packaging and marketing so that the weavers get better price for their products in the international market. Union Minister said that Himachal's cap is recognized internationally today and there was a need to redesign the same in line with the international requirements in coldest places in the world.

The Union Minister suggested to organize district-wise exhibitions of these products in big cities, people associated with the textile industry and five star hotels so that their branding could be done at national and international level. He asked the weavers to get their trademark for which the central government had reduced the registration fee by 80 percent.

Minister Goyal also interacted with the entrepreneurs of the district and distributed woodcraft, handloom, embroidery machines and certificates to the local handicraft and handloom artisans. He urged the State Industries Department to focus primarily on the ways and means for improvement of the quality of wool used in the manufacturing of handloom and handicraft products.

The Minister emphasized that there is a paramount need to focus on standardized packaging following designing of products and its manufacturing with appropriate modern marketing. This, he added, would fetch best and right price for the products in international market.

State Chief Minister Jai Ram Thakur on the occasion said that necessary steps had been taken to encourage the artisans of the state. He said that at present, there are 13,572 registered weavers in the state whose livelihood was related to the skill of weaving and embroidery.

CM Thakur informed that the handkerchief of Chamba along-with Kullu shawl and cap and the shawl of Kinnaur had been given G.I. Tags. He said that in order to facilitate online sales platform for weavers, MoU had been signed with Flipkart and department was also doing online sale of products.

The CM said that the tourism sector had been badly affected during the crisis of Covid and the handloom sector was no exception affecting thousands craftsmen. He extended his gratitude to the Union Minister for fulfilling the demand of the state of Weaver Service and Design Resource Center.

The Union Minister and the Chief Minister visited the exhibition put up by the weavers at the venue. A small documentary on handloom and handicrafts was also screened on the occasion.

State Education, Art, Language and Culture Minister Govind Singh Thakur said that Himachal Pradesh was emerging as a model of development under the leadership of Chief Minister Jai Ram Thakur. He said that Kullu district was today recognized internationally by its beauty, rich culture and handicrafts.