Piyush Goyal heaps praise on artisans, weavers of Himachal Pradesh

Union Minister for Commerce & Industry & Textiles Piyush Goyal today 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.

New Delhi:Union Minister for Commerce & Industry & Textiles Piyush Goyal today 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, as per press release.

Piyush Goyal announced that a Weaver Services and Design Resource Center will be set up in the Kullu district of the state to encourage attractive handicraft products of the state besides providing a better platform for the 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 today.

The Minister said that Himachal Pradesh had immense potential for handicrafts and skill up-gradation of artisans, modern equipment and training would be imparted to prepare qualitative new designs in the Weavers Service Center. He said that more attention was needed to modernize the design, quality, packaging and marketing so that the weavers get better prices 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 the coldest places in the world.

The Union Minister suggested organizing 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 the national and international levels. He asked the weavers to get their trademark for which the central government had reduced the registration fee by 80 per cent.

Piyush 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.

Applauding the weavers and workers present on the occasion, Union Minister remarked that he witnessed the display of pure art and each product is very beautiful and the hands that have manufactured these products are really precious. He, however, cautioned that its commercial value has increased a lot in all these years and there is a need to focus on improvement in product manufacturing.

The Minister emphasized that there is a paramount need to focus on standardized packaging following the designing of products and their manufacturing with appropriate modern marketing. This, he added, would fetch the best and right price for the products in the 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 Jai Ram 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 an online sales platform for weavers, MoU had been signed with Flipkart and the department was also doing online sales of products. Chief Minister said that there had been a big change in the design and quality of handicrafts and handloom products in the state in the last 50 years and thousands of families had made it a means of livelihood.

He said that Kullu districts handicrafts especially caps and shawls were recognized internationally. When any head of state comes to India, Prime Minister welcomes him with a kullavi cap and muffler which was a matter of pride for the state. He urged the weavers to preserve the traditional clothes as they were associated with our culture as well.