Efforts on to bring change in Bhagalpur weavers’ lives

BHAGALPUR: The 14-day ‘State Handloom Expo 2021-2022’, a joint effort of state industries department, ministry of textiles and state directorate of handloom and silk, has been organised at the Sandy’s Compound ground in Bhagalpur. State industries minister Shahnawaz Hussain has been instrumental in organising this event.
The expo aims at promoting handloom products among cross sections of the society through sales promotion and bringing socio-economic changes in lives of weaving community members and their families.
Assistant director of handloom and silk and general manager— Industries, at Bhagalpur, Sanjay Verma said the handloom expo was inaugurated jointly by Bhagalpur DM Subrat Kumar Sen and industries department officials on Monday and it will end on April 10.
"Our aim is not only to promote handloom products among locals but also to increase the income of family members of handloom weaving community. The community people eke out their livings through handloom weaving and ancillary works and hence need government support," Verma said.The DM said the weaving community has faced several challenges in the recent years, including from the machine made handloom products and tough times during the Covid-19 pandemic times. "The handloom expo will provide a large platform to the weaving community, exporters and other persons engaged in various handloom merchandise manufacturing works," Sen said.
He added: "There will be a widespread acceptance of skills of the handloom weavers through marketing of their unique products under one roof and the expo will also bring interactive opportunities between the purchasers and the actual weavers."
At the expo, three best handloom weavers, whose products found to be best vis-à-vis quality, finishing, demands and sale volumes besides return on investments (ROI), will be recommended for award by the directorate of handloom and silk.