Assam announces Rs 56-Cr handloom centre in Bokakhat on National Handloom Day

Guwahati, August 7: Commemorating National Handloom Day, Chief Minister Dr. Himanta Biswa Sarma announced a state-of-the-art handloom centre to be built in Bokakhat, on Wednesday.

The project, estimated to cost Rs 56 crores, is expected to be a hub for all handloom-related activities, ranging from thread extraction to weaving, dyeing, and colouring of fabrics.

“The Handloom Centre at Bokakhat is expected to uplift and promote Assam's handloom sector, benefiting the state's weavers while preserving and promoting Assam’s traditional handloom and sartorial heritage,” said the Chief Minister.

Additionally, the centre will also serve as a platform for traditional handloom artisans to showcase and market their products, Dr Sarma added.

Visitors will have the opportunity to witness the intricate processes involved in creating traditional Assamese handicrafts and garments, such as the Assamese Gamosa, a GI (Geographical Indication) tagged item exclusive to the Assamese community.

Dr. Sarma also highlighted the efforts undertaken by the government to protect and promote local weavers.

He noted the recent ban on the import of Gamosas from outside Assam imposed last year, and similar bans on other traditional garments such as the Mekhela Chadar, Aronai, Aosai, Muksa, and Pohu this year.

Furthermore, just like the procurement process of paddy and the Minimum Support Price (MSP) provisions, the government is committed to buying unsold Gamosas worth Rs. 100 crores to provide economic security to the weavers.

Districts like Golaghat, in particular, will benefit from such provisions, as the district is home to nearly 70,000 weavers.

Mentioning Prime Minister Narendra Modi's admiration for the Gamosa, the Chief Minister highlighted Assam’s rich traditional handloom heritage, including the Brindavani Bastra, a massive 120-hand-long and 60-hand-wide textile created by Mahapurush Shrimanta Sankardeva in Tatikuchi, Barpeta, sometime in the 15th century.

The Brindavani Bastra is used to cover the holy Bhagavat Purana and the altar in which it is placed.