Manipur government has been urged to make mandatory handloom products of the state as school uniforms. This was informed by the Managing Director of Manipur Handloom and Handicraft Development Corporation Limited, K Lamlee Kamei.
The corporation is in touch with the All Manipur recognized Private School Welfare Association regarding supplying and selling of handloom products to educational institutions in Manipur, says MD of Handloom Corporation Kamei.
The main objective of the company is to develop, aid, advice, assist, finance, protect and promote the interest of handloom and handicrafts units in the State whether owned or conducted by the government, statutory body, companies, firms or individuals.
Kamei said the company is also engaged in buying various selective finished products of handloom and handicrafts from local manufacturers for reselling it mainly at the Panthoibi Manipur Emporium, in New Delhi and Dakshinapan in Kolkatta.
The corporation, he said, has the responsibility of organising National Handloom Expo, Gandhi Shilp Bazar, Special Handloom Expo and Thematic Exhibition.
Production of garment and implementation of projects for promotion and development of handloom and handicrafts in Manipur are the responsibility of the corporation.
Under the National Handloom Development Programme (NHDP), 9250 Weavers of five blocks of Manipur was sanctioned Rs 799.764 lakh.
He maintained that with an aim to save time and money for weavers, Handloom and Handicrafts Delivery Scheme was also introduced in the State. The main objective of the scheme is to provide raw material with buy back arrangement at the doorsteps of weavers and artisans for further re-sale by various agencies through their emporia or by participating in National/Regional Level Expos, he said.
Altogether 8674 weavers from all districts of the State have been enrolled till date under the Handloom Delivery Scheme and now the enrolment of weavers is done through biometric system, he added.
The Government of India has initiated technical training programme for Schedule Caste and altogether 320 artisans from 16 schedule caste villages are participating in the training programme to provide technical skill to the SC artisans and introduction of new techniques and technologies for enhancing production to suit the preferences of contemporary market.
Apart from supplying 1000 cotton bed sheets with pillow cover in recently concluded Indian Science Congress at Manipur University, the Eastern Railway has also placed an order for supply of 5,228 pillow covers and 14,215 bed sheets to the Association of corporation and Apex societies of Handloom, he added.