Guwahati (Assam) [India], March 31 : Assam Chief Minister Dr Himanta Biswa Sarma on Saturday appealed to every Assamese person to take the pledge to purchase at least one handloom-woven gamusa in the upcoming Rongali Bihu celebration this month.
"If the 6 million families in the State decided to purchase a gamusa each, it would prove beneficial to the indigenous weavers on one hand and would contribute towards strengthening of the state's economy on the other," Dr Himanta Biswa Sarma said.
The Assam Chief Minister said this after inaugurating a Golden Silk Park and Commercial Centre at Resham Nagar in Guwahati's Khanapara.
Apart from providing silkworm breeds to silkworm farmers, this initiative by the Handloom and Textiles and Sericulture Department would also provide a platform for indigenous silk weavers to sell their produce.
Addressing the event, the Chief Minister appealed to the members of the general public to remain vigilant against the selling of power-loom-produced gamusas.
The Assam Chief Minister further added that the Assamese gamusa bagging the Geographical Indications (GI) tag, coupled with numerous initiatives of the Government of Assam aimed at strengthening the handloom sector has led to the build-up of newfound confidence among the handloom entrepreneurs of the state.
"Schemes such as 'Swrbhar Nari', through which 1.5 lakh gamusas have been procured by Artfed till date from the state's weavers, have ensured middlemen and unscrupulous traders are no more able to lure the weavers to go for distress sale," Sarma said.
He appealed to the Handloom and Textiles Department to launch a massive publicity drive to make the 'Swrbhar Nari' scheme a household name across the length and breadth of the state.
The Assam Chief Minister also stressed upon the need to diversify the product portfolio of muga and eri silk, without which handloom entrepreneurs of Assam wouldn't be able to take advantage of the massive market across the country and abroad.
Today's event was also attended by Handloom and Textiles Minister UG Brahma, departmental Secretary Dilip Kumar Bora, Chief Executive of 'APART' Akash Deep and a host of other dignitaries.
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