Hyderabad: The team from Handloom, Textiles, and Handicraft Department of Odisha, comprising Shubha Sarma, Commissioner-cum-Secretary and senior officers heading different wings, visited Telangana State from July 18th to 20th.
The objective of the visit, which was coordinated by Dr. MCR HRD Institute of Telangana, was to study the handloom sector in Telangana State.
The team had detailed discussions with BP Acharya, Spl. Chief Secretary & DG, Dr MCR HRD Institute of Telangana and Shailaja Ramaiyer, Director of Handlooms & Textiles, Government of Telangana.
The team visited Pochampally Handloom Park, Textile Park and Powerloom Cluster at Rajanna Sircilla district, and the outlets of Telangana State Handloom Weavers Cooperative Society Ltd. (TSCO) at Abids and Nampally. The team also interacted with Suraiya Hassan of Weaves & Crafts, Uzramma, Director, Malkha, Trust, and Dr. NVR Nathan, former Director, NIFT.
Shubha Sarma said that Telangana State has emerged as a role model for revitalizing handloom sector by making generous budgetary allocations, launching innovative flagship schemes, establishing proactive handloom parks and powerloom clusters, etc.,
She said that her team of officers will stay in constant touch with its counterparts in Telangana State to conceptualize and implement similar initiatives in Odisha. She added that handloom has been an integral part of the cultural heritage of Odisha.
“Women, including their younger counterparts, feel proud to wear handloom and considering this the Government of Odisha is committed to give a big boost to this sector”, she added.
B P Acharya, in his interactive session with the Odisha Officers at Dr. MCR HRD Institute, said that there is a serious disconnect between handloom products and their marketing and underlined the need for designing a professional marketing strategy.
“There is a huge demand for handloom products across the globe too and fully tapping this niche market is the need of the hour”, he observed. Continuing his address, Acharya stated that modernizing the handloom sector, including its products, is the need of the hour.
He also underlined the need for providing common facilities to weavers in order to improve their productivity.
Shailaja Ramaiyer, in a session held at BRK Bhavan, said that the Department of Handlooms has undertaken a census of handlooms in the State in order to channelize the benefits of multiple welfare schemes through Direct Benefit Transfer to the genuine weavers in a transparent manner.
“Such initiatives as 40% subsidy on yarn, dyes, and chemicals, loan waiver, special budget of Rs. 373 crores for handloom sector, skill upgradation training, increased wage etc., are aimed at improving the economic and social status of the weavers in Telangana State in a big way”, she added.
On this occasion, the Marketing & e-Commerce wing of TSCO, displayed an impressive array of handloom products. (INN)