Govt aims to boost NE textiles from cocoon to global markets: Union Minister Giriraj Singh

Shillong, Dec 7: Union Minister of Textiles, Giriraj Singh recently said the government is committed to “strengthen the textile value chain in the northeast right from cocoon to global markets.”

Inaugurating the Integrated Textile and Tourism Centre (ITTC) at Nongpoh, Ri Bhoi district Singh said, “The Northeast is the pride of India’s textile heritage. It is the land of Muga, Eri and traditional weaving excellence.”

He said under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the government is committed to further strengthening this sector.

The ITTC will serve as an integrated platform for training, design development, silk processing, product diversification and tourism, enabling artisans to access national and international opportunities, Singh said.

He noted that the Government of India is implementing multiple schemes to support handloom clusters, improve raw material availability, modernize weaving technologies and promote natural fibres globally.

“India is the only country producing different silks - Muga, Tasar, Mulberry and Eri. If Meghalaya and the other north-eastern States scale up Muga and Eri, India can become a global leader, especially as other countries shift to synthetics.”

Highlighting the Ministry’s livelihood-focused initiative, he said, “My goal is to connect every weaver to an income of Rs 50,000 per month. We have prepared the roadmap and we will implement it in Meghalaya with the State Government’s support.”

Meanwhile, Union Minister announced that a weavers’ service centre (WSC) will be set up in Meghalaya once the State government allots land, noting that the Northeast currently has only one such facility, located in Guwahati.

By

Staff Correspondent