SUALKUCHI, May 14 � The Sualkuchi Utsav, organised by the North-East Institute of Fashion Technology and the Assam Government, was held recently to promote the handloom industry and tourism in Sualkuchi.
On the occasion, an exhibition of handloom products, a health camp, a fashion show and a cultural show were held to showcase the talent of the weavers. In the Sualkuchi Utsav, dignitaries of the Central Government and the State Handloom and Textile Department, including Dr Sanjay Kumar Panda, Secretary, Ministry of Handloom and Textiles, Government of India, Pushpa Subramanium, Joint Secretary, Ministry of Handloom and Textiles, Government of India, Handloom Commissioner Alok Kumar and Additional Handloom Commissioner SK Sahu interacted with the participants in the exhibition, particularly with the self-help group members, bankers, handloom cooperative societies and tourist officials.
Dr Panda later visited some local weavers at their residences and studied their problems. A team, led by Dr Panda, visited Moni Baishya of Napara who has been running muga looms in spite of the shortage of muga cocoons. He also visited one Sarat Kalita of Kalitapara, who told him that he was yet to receive any government help. The Secretary also visited Khanin Das�s handloom factory at No. 1 Naktadol and took stock of the problems and their business as master weavers.
The members of the Sualkuchi Tat Silpa Unnayan Samiti, which was formed after the outbreak of violence in Sualkuchi in 2013, presented a memorandum. The Secretary assured them that their demands would be addressed as far as possible. He directed the NHDC officials to supply mulberry yarn to Sualkuchi from Karnataka. Besides, he put emphasis on setting up a raw material bank at Sualkuchi for procuring muga and eri cocoons locally.
Dr Panda joined the felicitation and fashion show held at the Sualkuchi Auditorium in the afternoon. The team was presented gamosas, seleng sadors and sarees by the State Handloom and Textile Department. Receiving the felicitation, Dr Panda called for concentrated effects from all corners including the Central and State Governments, cooperative societies, self-help groups, etc., for improving Sualkuchi.
He said the handloom products of Sualkuchi can be made more exclusive with good quality, designs and colour combination to draw the attention of customers. �If the customers do not like to purchase the clothes, all efforts to make the handloom industry a prosperous one will fail,� he said.
Dr Panda called upon the weavers to produce other dress materials to cater to the needs of foreign markets.
