Rajendranath visited the AP Pavilion at the Bharat Tex 2024 in New Delhi on Wednesday and interacted with skilled weavers. K Sunitha, principal secretary to handlooms and textiles, and MM Nayak, commissioner of handlooms and textiles, were present.
The minister was mainly impressed with the ‘One District One Product’ (ODOP) booth and examined the handloom products presented from various districts.
The finance minister appreciated the efforts of APCO and others in having inhouse designers and assisting the weavers in developing new products and designs.
Rajendranath stated that weaving a handloom is a strenuous effort. “Hence, under the YSR Pension Kanuka scheme, the age limit is reduced from 60 years to 50 years and an amount of Rs 3,000 per weaver for around 1 lakh weavers, with a total outlay of` 1,432.82 crore, has been released.”
In contrast to other stalls featuring one or two handloom products, the richness and variety displayed by AP stood out. AP has been assisting weavers in making the latest designs.
Sunitha said Bharat Tex 2024 is an ambitious initiative by the government and the Indian textile sector aimed at hosting the largest international textile exhibition in India. The event showcased the entire spectrum of the textile industry, from fibers and yarns to fabrics and accessories, she said.
