Protection and development of handloom industry underscored

Steps taken to check illegal sale of machine-made gamosas imported from other States

Our Correspondent

MANGALDAI, April 13: The Handloom and Textile Department is concerned about the growing threats and challenges faced by local handloom products and the weavers of the State by the commercially viable machine-made products flooding the market from outside the State.

The Director of Handloom and Textile department, Padma th Das, who joined the department recently, made his first official to Mangaldai on Wednesday afternoon to take stock of the functioning of the office of the Assistant Director in Darrang district of the department. While talking to media persons here during his visit, Director Das expressed his concern on the subject and stressed the need of protection and development of the handloom industry in exercise of the powers conferred by sub section (1) of the Handlooms Act, 1985. He said that he had already directed all district-level officials to carry out a thorough vigilance on the illegal sale of machine-made  gamosas imported from other States in the market and also to conduct drives with the help of the local administration.

At the same time, he instructed his officers to make necessary arrangements for commercial sale of handloom-made gamosa and other handloom products and to make the customers aware of its quality during this festive season when there is a high demand of such gamosas produced by local skilled weavers. Earlier, the Director held discussions with the local members of weavers’ society regarding exploring the potential of the local weavers. Significantly, the officials of the department here has made arrangements for temporary stall for the local weavers and self-help groups to sell the products in the prominent locations of the district, including in Mangaldai town.

On the other hand, Circle Officer of Mangaldai Revenue Circle, Pallabi Sarma Choudhury, following the instruction of Deputy Commissioner Ashok Kumar Barman, has taken the initiative to conduct sudden drives in several cloth stores here to check the sale of imported gamosas.