BHUBANESWAR: Union Minister for Textiles Anand Sharma on Saturday said the Centre would consider the Odisha Government’s proposal for establishment of mega handloom clusters in the State.
“We will definitely be interested to work with Odisha for establishment of handloom clusters. The ministry, however, will consider this only after receiving a detailed proposal,” Sharma told mediapersons after meeting Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik here.
Though Union Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee had announced the mega cluster proposal in his Budget to benefit weavers across the country, the Chief Minister had expressed displeasure over exclusion of Odisha. During the discussion, Naveen raised issues relating to handloom, handicraft and marine products, Sharma said. To a question on welfare of weavers in the State, the Union Minister said they are entitled to get benefits under two schemes. “The State Government has been holding camps to identify beneficiaries for welfare programmes,” he said.
The Chief Minister said he had requested Sharma to set up a handloom cluster in Bargarh district. Naveen and Sharma jointly inaugurated the new campus of the National Institute of Fashion Technology (NIFT). The NIFT is located in front of the KIIT School of Management here.
The State Government has provided 10.046 acres in Chandaka Industrial Estate free of cost to the NIFT. It has committed ` 58.65 crore towards infrastructure, equipment, resource centre and IT resources for academic purpose of the NIFT centre. The State has so far provided ` 52.18 crore.