In Manipur, the Directorate of Handloom & Textile celebrated the 8th National Handloom Day today at the City Convention Centre, Imphal. During the occasion, the State Textiles, Commerce & Industry Minister Nemcha Kipgen launched the Cluster Development Program in Manipur.
The State Minister also distributed State Awards to outstanding handloom weavers and handicrafts artisans in recognition of their contribution to handloom and handicrafts in the State. The financial assistance of Rupees 2 lakh to Rupees four lakh forty thousand were handed over to State and National Awardees for producing their award-winning items on a commercial scale. The three Padma Shree Awardees were also felicitated and handed over with a cash award of Rupees one lakh and a shawl each.
Minister Nemcha Kipgen said that under the National Handloom Development Programme (NHDP), twenty-one Cluster Development Programme (CDP), and one Mega Handloom Cluster have been sanctioned for Imphal East district of Manipur. It will create employment and a total of 46897 handloom weavers will be covered in these projects within the project period of 3 years. She said that the Yarn Scheme initiated by the State Government in 2018-19 will be continued further till 2026-27 and the State Government has registered some unique and indigenous handloom designs like WangkheiPhee, ShapheeLanphee, and MoirangPhee under Geographical Indication of Goods (Registration and Protection) Act, 1999 in 2014.