New government policies for khadi, handloom soon

PATNA: The state government is all set to roll out new policies for promotion of khadi, handloom and handicrafts sectors by year-end besides branding and barcoding its products to sieve out the genuine from fake ones.
The state industries department is working on the three proposed policies and the draft of the handloom policy is almost ready, principal secretary of the department S Siddharth said here on Thursday."This year is a landmark year for our department with a total of six new documents, including the Bihar Industrial Investment Promotion Policy and Bihar Start-up Policy, coming into effect, which will shape our decisions for the next five years," he said.
Siddharth said the department was already working as per the new handloom policy for upgradation of looms, new designs, establishing common facility centres for stitching, designing and post-processing for the last couple of months in anticipation of the policy.
Promotion of Bhagalpuri silk is also on the department's radar with a "Silk Bhawan" on the cards. "About 10 clusters have come up in Bhagalpur for training in dyeing, printing and loom upgrading. The Centre has sanctioned funds to the tune of Rs 2 crore for the Rs 17.15 crore project. Our aim is to revive the glorious era of silk in the state," he said.
Several new features relating to khadi, including its brand name and logo, will be announced by CM Nitish Kumar on the occasion of "Rashtriya Charkha Diwas" on September 24. "We have collaborated with students of National Institute of Fashion Technology-Patna (NIFTP) for new designs and about 50 such designs will be on display at the 'Khadi Samaroh' on Saturday," Siddharth said.
About 1,000 Tripurari model charkhas have also been procured by the department, some of which will be distributed on Saturday. "We have a very focussed approach for khadi and will also work for improving its marketing. These days many people claim to sell khadi but it's actually some other material," he said.
On the handicrafts front, the department has notified Upendra Maharathi Shilp Anusandhan Sansthan (UMSAS) as an independent society to work for development of the sector. "We are planning a micro credit scheme for artisans who will get Rs 20,000-Rs 25,000 for two-three months," he said.
Bihar's handicraft showroom in Delhi is also set for a facelift with the government approving Rs 40 lakh for its modernisation. Foreign nationals and Delhites will be able to get authentic Bihar products there.