New Delhi, Aug 8 (Agency) A day after Prime Minister Narendra Modi called for pushing Brand India and seize the export opportunity, Textiles Ministry has raised handloom export target four-fold to Rs 10,000 crore in the next three years. Union Minister of Textiles Piyush Goyal on Saturday said that steps needs to be taken to increase the production capacities of handloom sector from Rs 60,000 crore now to Rs 1.25 lakh crore. Addressing an event on the occasion of 7th National Handloom Day here today, Goyal said that handloom sector should become strong enough and prosper without depending much on state support.
He emphasised that the sectors which do not depend on government support actually do well. Goyal announced to set up a committee comprising of weavers, trainers equipment makers, marketing experts and other stakeholders to recommend ways and means to achieve the targets and take the handloom sector to next level. Noting that the handloom sector has had a unique place in India’s cultural heritage, the Minister said that for centuries, it has been sustained by the inter-generational transfer of weaving and designing skills. Goyal along with Minister of State (MoS) Darshana Jardosh jointly inaugurated Design Resource Centre at Kancheepuram, Tamil Nadu and building of Weavers’ Service Centre at Raigarh, Chhatisgarh on the occasion. Speaking on the occasion, MoS Jardosh said that handloom sector directly addresses women’s empowerment with over 70% of all weavers and allied workers being female.