GUWAHATI, Nov 17 - Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi said that the government would take up a special scheme for the overall development of the weaving industry in the State. The Chief Minister gave this assurance to a delegation of Sualkuchi Tat Silpi Sanstha which met him at his official residence recently, said an official press release here.
Gogoi said that the scheme, to be taken up by the Handloom & Textiles Department, would incorporate new designs and techniques to make traditional handloom products more colourful and attractive. The Chief Minister said that yarn is being distributed to weavers so that they can become strong financially.
The Chief Minister asked the delegation to work on a cluster basis for the development of the industry and urged the weavers to adopt other means of livelihood to enhance their income.
The Chief Minister assured the delegation that the State government would not allow the age-old weaving industry of Sualkuchi to decline and would continue to provide support and assistance so that it becomes vibrant and resilient. In this connection, Gogoi told the delegation that he would ask the Minister for Handloom & Textiles, Bismita Gogoi to visit Sualkuchi to take stock of the situation there and redress the grievances of the weavers who are facing problems.
Meanwhile, the Chief Minister strongly refuted the allegation in a section of the media that he had asked the delegation to take recourse to dairy farming instead of weaving. Terming the allegation as totally false and baseless, Gogoi said that he had told the delegation that the government would take up a new scheme for the overall development of weavers, including those of Sualkuchi. Gogoi said that the government is mulling to set up a silk yarn bank at Sualkuchi to ensure adequate supply of silk yarn to weavers.
Gogoi alleged that a local MLA did not play a proactive role for the development of the Sualkuchi weaving industry due to which there is a proliferation of cheap Banarasi silk, and that he was responsible for damaging the age-old weaving industry by helping vested circles to set up other industries.
