Ample scope for handicrafts in Bodoland: Hagrama

The inaugural meeting was also attended by Derhasat Basumatary, E.M, Education etc. BTC, Mono Kumar Brahma, E.M, Water Resource etc. BTC, Bono Mali Boro, EM, Handloom & Textile, etc. BTC, Malati Rani Narzary, Chairperson, BRAWFED, NN Rana Patgiri, managing director, BRAWFED, Sri DN Sing, Asstt. Director, Handicrafts (NER), Govt. of India, Ministry of Textile, among other.

Speaking on the occasion as chief guest Mohilary, Chief of BTC said that within a short span of time the Department of Handloom & Textile, BTC has done a remarkable job for promotion of handloom and handicrafts of Bodoland and hoped this centre will certainly benefit the artisans of this region. At the same time he also said there is ample opportunity in this sector in Bodoland as there is no scarcity of raw materials and through this people can earn a lots.

Explaining the objectives of the programme, NN Rana Patgiri, managing director, BRAWFED informed that the Bodoland Regional Apex Weavers and Artisans Co-operative Federation�s (BRAWFED) air-conditioning emporium of Bodoland Handloom and Handicraft �Aronai� and raw material bank and cane craft centre at JD Road, Kodamtola in Kokrajhar has been set up in collaboration with the Development Commissioner, Ministry of Textiles, Government of India for exploring production and marketing of hand-woven decorative textiles and handicrafts of Bodoland. At the same time he also said that BRAWFED has a mission to set up more such emporium or showrooms for products of indigenous hand woven clothes, garments, decorative cane and bamboo products in other places like Delhi, Guwahati, Mushulpur etc.

Addressing the gathering Malati Rani Narzary, chairperson, BRAWFED said that BRAWFED has been working for sustainable development of traditional products to ensure women empowerment and economic self sustainability in the region. She further said that a good number of Self Help Groups have also been formed where hundreds of people are engaged in this sector. She also informed that BRAWFED is working like a co-operative society and has also been working for market networking of the handloom and textile products as now a days indigenous products are in high demand in the international market.

Narzary also informed that the chief of BTC Hagrama Mohilary, NN Rana Patgiri, managing director, BRAWFED and CHD Handloom and Textile and a few others will attend a seminar of the handloom products in Brazil which scheduled to be held from August 12 to August 19 next. BRAWFED has sent 30 items of hand woven textile products and local fabrics to the handloom authority in Brazil.