Long wait for Paithani cluster seems to be over

Nashik: The Paithani Cluster at Yeola, 83km from here on the Nashik-Aurangabad highway, is likely to get the final nod from the government in July.
Stuck in red tape for two years with just one final meeting pending at the Centre, the meeting of the steering committee in July would pave the way for the cluster to start functioning. The tourism centre on its premises was inaugurated in August, 2014.
Known widely for its Paithani work, Yeola was handpicked as the cluster's location as part of the central government's scheme for rural development. The cluster, a Rs 20-crore project, is spread over 4,800 sq m where around 3,000 local artisans would get an opportunity to weave and put their products on display under one roof.
"We had presented the entire project at the steering committee's meeting last year. The final decision will be out during the meeting of the steering committee in July. We will get the approval. And once that happens, we can start inviting tenders for the machinery," said Vikram Gaikwad, the director of the cluster.
He added that if the cocoon produced in the state could be used in Yeola for Paithani saris, then it would be much beneficial and the town would not be dependent on Bengaluru for silk. There are 3,500 looms in Yeola and the material, particularly silk, is brought from Bengaluru. In one month, 6,000 Paithani saris are made in Yeola. Around one kg of silk is needed to weave one sari.
Former chief minister late Vilasrao Deshmukh had a few years ago proposed Rs 45 crore for Paithani. In 2004, the proposal was sent to the Centre by the state. In 2007, the National Institute of Fashion Design (NIFD) was asked to prepare a detailed survey report (DSR) and the Union government approved of it.
The College of Textile Engineering, Ichalkaranji was asked to prepare a detailed project report (DPR) and a joint study was conducted with the central silk board of the DPR in 2011. The state government approved the study and sent it to the Union government. It was then sent to the Central Industries Development Bank for appraisal, and the process took 8-10 months. Then, market survey and appraisal was done thrice and in March 2012, it was sent to the state government that forwarded it to the central steering committee.
The cluster would be particularly beneficial for Nashik residents, who have to travel long to reach the mills and factories in Yeola to shop for the original Paithani. For years, Yeola has remained the one-stop shop for all wedding and big occasion purchases for Nashik residents, who have often been at a loss at identifying the best mill to make their purchase. With this cluster, the city and also for sari enthusiasts from across the country, shopping for the bright saris would become that much simpler.