After 2014, Prime Minister Narendra Modi stated, an attempt was made to alter the culture that had formed where people looked down on individuals who wore khadi garments. This was announced on Monday, August 7th, in New Delhi.
At the ninth National Handloom Day, Prime Minister Modi spoke at the ‘Bharat Mandapam’ at Pragati Maidan.
“After independence, much attention was not given to strengthening the cloth industry (Khadi), which was so strong during the last century…the situation was that it was left to die…people who wore Khadi were looked upon with inferiority complex…,” PM Modi stated.
“Since 2014, our government has been working to change this mindset,” the Prime Minister remarked.
Khadi manufacturing has tripled in the previous decade, while Khadi clothing sales have multiplied by 5. Prime Minister Modi recently said that the handloom industry’s revenue has surged from roughly Rs 30,000 crore to over Rs 1,30,000 crore due in large part to the rising demand for Khadi clothing in other nations.
On National Handloom Day, the Prime Minister asked the public to promote homegrown goods, noting that India’s colourful handlooms are a reflection of the country’s variety.
As part of today’s events, the Prime Minister unveiled the National Institute of Fashion Technology’s (NIFT) online Textiles and Crafts Repository (‘Bhartiya Vastra evam Shilp Kosh’).
Over 3,000 handloom and khadi weavers, craftsmen, and stakeholders from the textile and MSME sectors were in attendance, according to a statement released by the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO).
Weaver Service Centres, Indian Institute of Handloom Technology campuses, the National Handloom Development Corporation, the Handloom Export Promotion Council, KVIC institutions, and various State Handloom Departments will all be involved in the initiative, the statement said.
The inaugural National Handloom Day was held on August 7, 2015, after it was declared a national holiday by the government.
The Swadeshi Movement, which championed homegrown businesses and artisans like handloom weavers, had its start on August 7, 1905, hence that was the reason for picking that day.
This day is noteworthy because it draws attention to the handloom-weaving community and the role that it plays in the economic and social growth of our nation. The handloom business is more than just a means of making money for the country; it is also a representation of the country’s historic cultural history.
On Monday, the Prime Minister and Union Minister Piyush Goyal were at the Bharat Mandapam site, where they interacted with traders selling items from all across the nation.
