Handloom & Textile Centres Gasping For Life!

GUWAHATI: The lack of impetus in the State Handloom, Textile and Sericulture department may sound the death knell for its training and production centres that have been gasping for life.

According to official sources, there are 102 handloom training centres (HTCs), 98 weavers’ extension service units, 20 HTCs production centres and four handloom training institutes under the Directorate of Handloom and Textiles in the State. However, none of these centre or unit is functioning properly. The training centres and training institutes are without proper classrooms and laboratories.

The 102 HTCs together have a capacity of 1,640 trainees for the one-year artisan certificate course. Each of such centres has around 15-20 seats. However, most of the seats, according to official sources, remain vacant as the trainees don’t get adequate number of classrooms, laboratories and handlooms. Another reason behind trainees losing interest in attending classes is the meagre amount of stipend being paid to them. Thus the very purpose – to absorb unemployed youth – of these 102 HTCs has not been served.

The tale of the 98 weavers’ extension service units is no different. Lack of furniture for keeping cloths and buildings has plagued them badly.

The 20 handloom production centres (HPCs) have also been in poor shape and their productivity is quite negligible. Only four of them – one each at Nalbari, Nagaon, Sangsari and Jorhat –are being run properly.

Insofar as job generation is concerned, handloom weaving comes next only to agriculture in the State. Around 30 lakh people are directly or indirectly associated with handloom in the State. This is in sync with the glorious tradition which the State has in this sector since time immemorial. However, despite bright prospects in this sector, the State has to import textile products from other States in bulks. Today gamosa has gone international. However, the department has not been able to protect it from the onslaught of its evil twin – powerloom gamosas – even in the State market.

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