Foundation stones of seven Handloom Common Facility Centres in Varanasi were laid , by H. E. Governor Uttar Pradesh Shri Ram Naik, in the presence of Minister of State for Textiles (I/C), Shri Santosh Kumar Gangwar.
The Governor recalled the laying of foundation stone of Trade Facilitation Centre and Crafts Museum in Varanasi by Honourable Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi, on 7th November, 2014. He said that work has commenced on this front, and that visible progress will be made soon. He added that there is a need for the weavers to adapt their ways of working, in accordance with latest technologies and changing market demands.
Addressing the gathering, the Union Textiles Minister said that a National Institute of Fashion Technology (NIFT) sub-centre is being planned in Varanasi. Talking about the Common Facility Centres, the Minister said that the Centres will help Varanasi’s one lakh weavers in upgrading their skills and thereby in empowering themselves. Recalling the words of Pandit Deendayal Upadhyaya, Shri Gangwar said that schemes such as this serve to fulfill Pandit Deendayal’s dream to bring the fruits of development to the last mile, based on the principle of ‘Sabka Saath Sabka Vikas’, espoused by the Prime Minister.
Secretary, Textiles, Shri Sanjay Kumar Panda and Development Commissioner (Handlooms), Shri Alok Kumar too spoke on the occasion, underlining the objectives of the Common Facility Centres and the modalities of setting up and operating them.
The Common Facility Centres (CFCs) are being set up in Varanasi Mega Handloom Cluster, under theComprehensive Handloom Cluster Development Scheme. These Centres will provide infrastructural and other kinds of support to groups of handloom weavers at block level. Such facilities will include:
- A go-down for storage of raw material and finished products
- An office with internet connectivity, for providing benefits of IT-based interventions including benefits of financial inclusion under Pradhan Mantri Jan Dhan Yojana, to each handloom weaver
- A room (with toilets), for accommodation of designers/bulk buyers from urban areas who may like to stay in the production area for a day or two
- Required facilities for training in design, dyeing and weaving in the form of common shed
- Equipments, water supply, effluent treatment and bulk processing facilities needed in the pre-loom sector
The Centres will be set up preferably by strengthening existing infrastructure in the primary weavers’ cooperative societies, running in profit, in the area. Where there is no such facility, it may be developed on a piece of land to be provided by the gram panchayats / any donor or state Government. Each Centre will be manned by one handloom diploma holder who possesses requisite technical knowledge on handlooms; the service of an ex-service person from the local area will be used for administrative support. Technical officers dealing with handloom, available with State Governments and Weavers’ Service Centres, shall provide technical support to these centres.