HYDERABAD: "The United Progressive Alliance (UPA) government is keen to develop textile industry by providing basic amenities to small, middle and large entrepreneurs in the sector. It is the second largest sector in the country after agriculture," said Panabaka Lakshmi, Union Minister of State for Textiles.
She inaugurated a creative handloom design studio at the AP State Handloom Weavers' Co-operative Society office here today.
Handicraft producers and exporters should redefine their marketing strategies to enhance India's share in the global markets.
The handicrafts sector is not only important for exports but also for providing employment to more than six million artisans and craftspersons, mainly from the economically weaker and backward sections, she said.
"The APCO, in collaboration with the Handloom Export Promotion Council (HEPC), has established a design studio in its central office with a total project cost of Rs 50 lakh to be shared by the HEPC and APCO (Rs 45 lakh and Rs 5 lakh respectively)," she said. The objective of the project is to make available a state-of-theart- design studio in the export cluster, create and develop handloom designs and meet the design requirements of exports, manufacturers, societies and private entrepreneurs, analyse the latest trends, adapt and modify designs from sketches or fabrics submitted by clients, forecast the change in motif colour and design pattern to help increase exports of handloom varieties from the state.
The textile sector grossed Rs 1, 252 crore during 2009-2010 which is expected to further rise when the demand for Indian handloom products goes up in western countries, the minister said.
Mayor Banda Kartika Reddy, APCO vice-chairman and managing director (VCMD) IS Sri Naresh, HEPC managing director Beelam Rajesh, MLCs P Sudhakar Reddy and Rajya Lakshmi, GM, administration KVS Ramakrishna were among those present.