Manipur Textiles, Commerce and Industries Minister Nemcha Kipgen on Sunday informed that preparations are being made by the state government for registration of more state products under the Geographical Indication of Goods (Registration and Protection) Act, 1999 and 2014 to get GI Tag.
She was delivering the chief guest speech during the celebration of 8th National Handloom Day at the City Convention Centre in Imphal East. It was organised by the Directorate of Handlooms and Textiles.
The efforts of the state weavers and their unique handlooms products have made the state to get the GI tag in items such as Wangkhei Phee, Shaphee Lanphee and Moirang Phee, said Kipgen, adding that the hashtag of My Handloom My Pride is the recognition that handloom cloth are the pride of nation.
She said that the Handloom Day has been observed every year since 2015 with the motive to boost the confidence of the handloom weavers and promote handloom products.
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Stating that the central government has taken various initiatives for promotion and development of handloom industry in the country, she informed that the National Handloom Development Programme (NHDP) is one of such flexible national level programmes.
Under NHDP the government has sanctioned 21 Cluster Development Programme (CDP) including one Mega Handloom Cluster in Imphal East and one project of Craft Handloom Village in Bishnupur district, she added.
She also informed that the state government had initiated the Yarn Scheme in 2018-19 and the scheme is being proposed to continue further till 2026-27.
Under this scheme as many as 6,705 frame looms have been provided to different weavers till 2021-22, informed Kipgen.
She further informed that the state government is also considering extending financial support to Padma Shri awardees ahead of the other national and state awardees for producing their award-winning item into commercial scale.
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Extending gratitude to all the handloom weavers of Manipur for their continuous service rendered on weaving, the minister also thanked all valued handloom cloths users which help the weavers to produce continually.
During the celebration, the State Award for the Outstanding Handloom Weaver 2021-22 was conferred to Chungkham Gangarani of Andro Loupaochum, Imphal East for her Phingairuk Mayek in Inaphee.
Padma Shri awardees of 2022 Lourembam Bino, Moirangthem Muktamani and Konsam Ibomcha were also felicitated during the programme.
The function was also attended by Lamlai MLA Kh Ibomcha, who is also the chairman of Manipur Handloom and Handicraft Development Corporation Limited, as president and Naoriya Pakhanglakpa MLA, S Kebi, as guest of honour.
A similar function was also organised by the Weavers' Service Centre, Imphal at its premise in Porompat, Imphal East. It was attended by Kshetrigao MLA, Sheikh Noorul Hassan, as chief guest and retired Arts and Culture director, K Sobita, as president.
