Nemcha Kipgen launches the Cluster Development Programme

Last Updated on September 24, 2023 by SPN Editor

The Directorate of Handloom & Textiles, Government of Manipur celebrated the 8th National Handloom Day on Sunday at City Convention Centre. During the occasion, Chief Guest of the function, Minister for Textiles, Commerce & Industry Nemcha Kipgen launched the Cluster Development Programme in the State.

Addressing the gathering, Nemcha Kipgen said that the Ministry of Textiles has taken up various initiatives for promotion and development of the handloom industry in the country. She informed that under the National Handloom Development Programme (NHDP), the Government of India has sanctioned 21 Cluster Development Programme (CDP) and one Mega Handloom Cluster in Imphal East. There is also one project of Craft Handloom Village at Moirang in Bishnupur district, she added.

The Minister conveyed that in these projects, 24 Diploma holders in Handloom & Textile technology will be engaged as Cluster Development Executives and another 24 Textile Designers from NIFT or NID or reputed Design Institute as Textile Designers for a period of three years. A total of 46897 handloom weavers will be covered in these projects within the project period of three years, she informed.

The Minister said that the State Government had initiated the Yarn Scheme in 2018-19 and the scheme is being proposed to continue further till 2026-27. She said that the Loom Upgradation Scheme introduced in 2018 has provided a total of 6705 Frame Loom to 6705 weavers till 2021-22.

Reiterating the importance of promoting the unique handloom products of the State, Nemcha Kipgen said that the State Government has registered Wangkhei Phee, Shaphee Lanphee and Moirang Phee under Geographical Indication of Goods (Registration and Protection) Act, 1999 in 2014. She also informed that the Department is preparing for registration of more products under the GI Act. The hashtag of ‘My Handloom My Pride’ is the recognition that handloom cloths are our pride and that weavers have woven, she added

On the occasion, the State Awards were handed over to outstanding handloom weavers and handicrafts artisans by the Department in recognition of their contribution to handloom and handicrafts in the State.

As a part of encouragement, financial assistance of Rs.2.00 lakh to Rs.4.40 lakh were handed over to National and State Awardees for producing their award-winning item into commercial scale. Three Padma Shree Awardees namely Mayengbam Muktamani, Lourembam Binodini and Konsam Ibomcha Singh were also felicitated and handed over with a cash award of Rs. 1 lakh and a shawl each.

With an aim to boost the confidence of the handloom weavers and promote handlooms, the Ministry of Textiles, Government of India has been observing August 7 every year as the National Handloom Day from 2015 onwards. It may be mentioned that the celebration of the first National Handloom Day was started from 2015 with Prime Minister Narendra Modi as the Chief Guest at Chennai. The Ministry of Textiles has taken into account the Swadeshi Movement and boycott of foreign cloths as the solemn day for National Handloom Day which became an annual feature across the country.

Chairman, Manipur Handloom & Handicrafts Development Cooperation, Kh Ibomcha and Chairperson, Manipur Women Development Cooperation, Soraisam Kebi Devi also graced the occasion as President and Guest of Honour respectively. The celebration was also attended by Director of Handlooms & Textiles K. Lamlee Kamei and Joint Director Elangbam Jeeten among others.