New Delhi, (UNI): In order to increase textile exports, bring in foreign exchange as well as for creating employment opportunities, Minister for Commerce and Industry and Textiles Piyush Goyal wants weavers and artisans to be linked through e-commerce platforms and to be supported in leveraging of technology which will encourage the growth of livelihood in hand looms and handicraft sector.
Addressing the stakeholders during a review of the functioning of the Ministry of Textiles, autonomous bodies and public sector undertakings under its administrative control, Goyal set out an action plan which includes further simplification of processes and developing an effective online dashboard based monitoring system for transparency in the textiles industry, calling for completion of all craft villages in the next six months, Goyal directed officers to assist weavers and artisans in marketing their produce through all platforms of Delhi Haat, Urban Haats and Handloom Haat.
Drawing attention to livelihood aspect of hand looms and handicrafts and implementation of schemes in these sectors, Goyal advised all officials to maintain communication with state government functionaries to improve the outcome and impact of the Central Government schemes and asked officers to organise a virtual conference with state government secretaries responsible for this sector. The Minister directed officers to work towards increasing the share of weavers/artisans in consumer spending as done by dairy cooperative Amul for milk producers, properly implement the skill development initiatives of the Ministry and use technology for effective monitoring for better outcomes.
Goyal also reviewed the work of Production Linked Incentive Scheme for textiles, sought finalisation of scheme guidelines for PM MITRA scheme so that proposals could be invited from state governments and called for improvement in effluent treatment infrastructure for the processing segment while promoting waterless printing technology.
