Prime Minister Narendra Modi today called for enhanced use of handloom saying that a similar call he had given earlier at ‘Mann Ki Baat’ programme on khadi fabric increased the sale of the item by 60 per cent.
Launching the ‘National Handloom Day’ at Madras University, Modi said “I asked people to use one item of khadi and I have been informed that the sale of the product had gone up by 60 per cent after the call.”
He said it is now necessary to give a similar call for handloom. Can we not enhance use of handloom in our daily life? , Prime Minister asked. He said “I am told handloom forms 15 per cent of total cloth consumption, if we raise it to 20 per cent it will give a huge boom”.
From this year August seven will be known as “National Handloom Day” when awards will be handed over to artisans and weavers as well as best handloom products would be selected for awards and certificates. August seven was chosen for its “special significance in Indian history as it was on this day Swadeshi Movement was launched in 1905.
This year three products have been chosen for the India Handloom Brand certificate. They are ‘Salem Venpattu’ ‘Tangail Saree’ of West Bengal and ‘Tanchoi Silk’ of Benaras. Bengali Co-operative Society will also receive the certificate from the Prime Minister for its Tangail saree.
Besides launching the handloom day, the Prime Minister will also present Sant Kabir Awards and National Awards for handloom weavers on the occasion. This is Modi’s first visit to Tamil Nadu capital since he assumed office. The Prime Minister would also launch ‘India Handloom Brand’ later in the day.
