Assam govt to procure handloom items directly from weavers, to be sold across country

Assam government on Tuesday inaugurated a scheme, 'Swanirbhar Naari' under which textile items would be procured directly from the weavers for sale through government outlets in the state and rest of the country.

Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma launched 'Swanirbhar Naari', an initiative of the handloom and textiles department , in Guwahati, which aims to empower the indigenous weavers of the state and to provide financial support to the weavers’ families.

"Under the scheme, the government has decided to procure handloom items directly from the indigenous weavers without involving any middle men through a specially-developed Swanirbhar Naari web portal. Altogether, 31 hand-woven textile items have been covered under the scheme belonging to various communities in the state," said an official statement.

After procurement, products will be sold through government outlets such as Jagaran and Pragjyotika in Assam and in other states. "The online registration is designed in a way to reach those areas also, where departmental yarn banks are not available. It is expected that the portal will bridge the gap between the weavers and the buyers," it said.

Chief Minister Sarma said that the handloom and textile sector of Assam has a rich history and it has been playing an important role in the state economy. "Assam’s handloom and textiles sector reflects the state’s civilisation and cultural heritage and the textiles of different ethnic groups have enriched this," he said.