Textiles are an important element in everyday life and fulfill this need with handlooms since a history almost as old as mankind itself. One of the largest family-based traditional industries in India is handloom. Handlooms are an important craft product and comprise the largest cottage industry of the country. Handloom sectors are a source of livelihood for lakhs of weavers and artisans in India. The handloom industries are environmentally friendly, energy saving form of artistry among the textile sector with the outcome of sustainable textile products. Indian handloom products are as different and varied as our cultures and languages. Handloom is done in all most all parts of India, the work produced in each area having its own distinctive character. Indian handloom products are a presence in millions of homes across the globe that has been crafted by dexterous hands, many of whom are among the most marginalized sections of society.
National Scheduled Castes Finance and Development Corporation (NSFDC) undertakes Skill Development Programmes for the year 2017-18. It is a fully owned Government of India Central Public Sector Enterprise (CPSE) under Ministry of Social Justice & Empowerment (MoSJ&E). NSFDC was incorporated in 1989 as a Section 25 Company (not-for-profit) of the Companies Act, 1956 [Now, a Section 8 Company of the Companies Act, 2013]. The broad objective of NSFDC is financing, facilitating and mobilizing funds for the economic empowerment of persons belonging to the scheduled caste communities living below Double the Poverty Line (DPL) limit [Presently, annual family income up to Rs.98,000/- per annum for rural areas and up to Rs.1,20,000/- per annum for urban areas].
Under the Skill Development Programme of NSFDC for the year 2017-18, Chanu Creations has been trained skill development training to 100 Nos. of Scheduled Castes Candidates in Assam through Textile Sector Skill Council (TSC) on Two Shaft Handloom Weaver of RPL-12 Hours Skill Development Training Programme. Under the leadership of Smt. Chirom Indira, National Awardee & Proprietor/CEO and Project Manager Mr. W. Joyshankar Luwang of Chanu Creations, the said training programme was successfully conducted in Azara Keotpara, Kamrup District of Assam from 20th December, 2017 to 21st December, 2017. On the inauguration day of training the Director of Indian Institute of Entrepreneurship (IIE), Guwahati Shri Manoj K Das, President of Azara Gram Panchayat Shri Pabin Medhi and Social worker Shri Pradip Das of Azara Keotpara was grace the function as Chief Guest, president and Guest of Honour respectively. It is truly gratifying that the efforts of Chanu Creations bring smiles to thousands of weavers in the region and moving towards the fruitfulness tomorrow’s generation with a new identity.
As per the Handloom Census Report 2009-1010, Assam occupies the top position in respect of Statewise distribution of handloom workers with 124100 housholds sharing 21.7%of the total households in the state. Assam is proud owner of more than 13 lakh looms out of the total 28 lakhs looms of the country. Inspite of its tremendous potential, the handloom industry has not flourished in commercial sphere to the desired extent. At present, about 2.05 lakh looms are being utilized for commercial weaving, 6.00 lakh looms run semi-commercially and rests are domestic looms which are run to meet domestic requirements. Besides, the handloom weaving provides direct and indirect employment to about 25 lakh people in the state.
As a woman entrepreneur, Smt. Chirom Indira believed communal harmony is key to social development in multi ethnic society like north-eastern region of India. Empowering and embedding self-esteem into women is her life’s biggest mission. The enthusiasm with which she has been promoting the handloom sector of the Northeast region, Chirom Indira has achieved great recognition and we hope that in future, the Northeast will be able to exploit its potentials and make a name for itself all over the world. Her determination for the cause has made her a handloom movement pioneer in the North-Eastern Region of India.
This Press Release was sent by Handlooms Promotion Council, who can be contacted at hpcmanipur2005(at)gmail(dot)com.
