The Handlooms Promotion Council, Manipur has urged the state government to issue an order for setting up the Imphal Cottage Haat at Hapta Kangjeibung, Imphal East allotting to the state department of trade, commerce and industry, for marketing activities of the state’s handloom and handicraft products throughout the year.
It is one of the several resolutions adopted after the National Handloom Convention held at the GM Hall, Imphal on Sunday. It was organised by the Handlooms Promotion Council, Manipur with the participation of the state’s weaver, handloom entrepreneurs, handloom academicians, primary weaver’s co-operative societies, handloom and textiles concerned apex bodies.
Speaking to the media, president of Handloom Promotion Council, Manipur, Chingtam Luwang said that the convention is to reaffirmed the important roles rendered by the weavers and artisans of the state since time immemorial in respect of safeguarding the land’s distinct identity with rich dress and costumes, value-based household and social economy, culture tainted self-employment, standing still of decentralised handloom work culture as the state’s largest cottage industry and weaving and handloom products as inseparable parts of traditional, cultural and ritual or religious practices of the land’s people.
The convention decided to suggest for materialising the Cottage Haat to the state government to take up initiatives under the existing provisions of the National Handloom Development Programme (NHDP), Ministry of Textiles, government of India for setting up urban haats as marketing venues through the department of Textiles, Commerce and Industry, government of Manipur.
The convention also adopted a resolution for compulsory use of handloom products as the state government decided for using handloom products as uniform for students and teachers in the educational institutions of the state and as office decorative materials such as curtains and table covers etc. Therefore, it resolved to urge the state government to take up the re-enforcement initiative to be strictly followed by all concerned institutions and offices for promotion of both weaver or artisan and the cultural beauties of the state.
Regarding GI registration, the convention resolved to urge the state government to take up supportive actions in taking registrations of aged-old traditional crafts or woven items under the Geographical Indication Act of India 1999 and 2014 in the line of handloom clothes or Saphee Lanphee, the Moirang Phijin and the Wangkhei were granted registrations and protecting under the GI Acts.
It was resolved to urge the government for inclusion of the history and practicality of handloom in the syllabus of the state’s school education including the GI registered cloths and installing to fly shuttle looms along with warping drums and charkha etc for practical use in the earliest possible time.
It was also resolved to urge the state government to revive and function the state level advisory committee for handloom and handicraft in the interest of the weavers and artisans and stakeholders.
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