Smriti Irani stresses on unigender perception of silk wear

Bengaluru: Union Textiles Minister Smriti Irani on Tuesday said the perception that silk is only for women should be changed to silk is for unigender to expand the use of silk.

"I think the notion of silk is only for women is a very narrow approach in marketing because if you want the expansion of use of silk, then we have to look at diversification of products. I seek to change this notion to silk is for unigender."

"I do not want any disservice done to men who want to use silk," she said at the launch of its second Centre of Excellence at the Central Silk Board headquarters in Bengaluru.

Irani said in terms of diversification, the scientists and marketing team needs to sit together and push the newer avenues.

Announcing the launch of Kannada version of mobile app E-Dhaga by January 15, Irani said she aims to digitise the process of raw silk as was done by way of e-dhaga, a mobile app, for the benefit of the most deprived sections of the society.

"We have launched a mobile app called e-dhaga for weavers across the country. It has currently been launched in English, Hindi and Telugu. Soon it will be launched by January 15 in Kannada, Assamese, Bengali and Urdu," she said.

"My goal is that we do a similar digitisation process for the entire raw material available for the silk sector for the benefit of those who are the most deprived and need the most amount of help," she added.

Irani also hoped that the Board conducts outreach programmes for cocoon producers and give them financial support on behalf the central government in possible conjunction with the state.

"I am hopeful that we do an outreach programme for those who are producing cocoons and give them some support in terms of financial and banking on behalf of Government of India possibly in conjunction with the state," she said.

"They should be given financial help so that the cocoon growers are also told and taught how to reel it through automative process and produce clusters of those farmers who want to become bigger producers of silk by eradicating middlemen," she said.

Irani said the outreach programmes should reach areas where there is a possibility of increasing production of silk.

"I am hopeful that in areas like Jharkhand and Bihar and most of other tribal areas, we can do a special outreach programme so that more and more women benefit from this silk board initiative," she said.