HANDLOOM FAIR
"INDIA WEAVES 2002" OPENS AT DILLI HAAT
Synchronising with
the festival season, the prestigious national handloom exposition
"India Weaves 2002" has been opened at Dilli
Haat in the capital this morning. Inaugurating the exhibition,
the Minister of Textiles, Shri Kashiram Rana said that, as announced
by the Prime Minister in his Independence Day speech, the Textile
Ministry has earmarked Rs.100 crore towards a one-time special
rebate of 10 per cent on handloom fabrics till the existing stock
is cleared. The Ministry would endeavour to make the handloom
products acquire an international brand value for effective international
marketing, Shri Rana added.
Sponsored by
the Development Commissionerate of Handlooms of the Ministry of
Textiles, India Weaves 2002, is organised by the Association
of Corporations and Apex Societies of Handlooms (ACASH). ACASH,
the marketing body of the Commissionerate, has the task of coordinating
the marketing of the fabulous and diverse range of handloom products
turned out in the country with coordinated inputs from its members
which include 40 State level apex corporations and weavers’ societies.
The exhibition, open
till October 31 from 11.00 a.m. to 10.30 p.m., will showcase traditional
hand-weaves and prints of 126 handloom corporations, cooperatives,
primary societies and NGOs spread from 21 States. The exhibition
is popular in Delhi for its exclusive collection of hand-woven
fabrics, saris, shawls, durries, carpets, bed and bath linen,
etc., in cotton, silk Tussar and blends. Besides exhibition-cum-sale
of handloom items, latest developments made in the handloom industry
is showcased at the Theme Pavilion by the Weavers’ Service Centre.
This annual exposition draws the patronage of the people of Delhi
as well as those from the satellite towns. Apart from the general
public, it also attracts a lot of bulk buyers. Besides providing
the best handloom products, the fair will also present cultural
evenings daily. During the expo, a total sale of Rs 2.5 crore
is anticipated.
The handloom sector
in the country provides direct employment to over 65 lakh persons.
As a result of government intervention through financial assistance
and implementation of various developmental and welfare schemes,
this sector has been able to withstand competition from the power
loom and mill sectors. Consequently, the production of handloom
fabrics registered more than ten fold increase from a level of
500 million sq. metres in the early 1950s to 7,586 million sq.
metres in 2001-2002. The sector contributes nearly 19 per cent
of the total cloth produced in the country and also adds substantially
to the export earnings.
