Union Minister for Texiles Smriti Zubin Irani inaugurates Apparel and Garment Making Centre at Lamboi Khongnangkhong Imphal, Manipur on Sunday 27th November, 2016 in the presence of Shri Okram Ibobi Singh, Chief Minister, Manipur, under the North East Region Textile Promotion Scheme (NERTPS) of the Department of Commerce and Industry, Ministry of Textile.

Speaking at the event, Union Minister of Textile Smriti Zubin Irani said that Rs 200 crore would be provided for the Textile Promotion Scheme in the State by the Ministry.

The centre was developed with a budget or around Rs 18 crore under the initiative of the Prime Minister to help the weavers of North East States. The central assistance is towards construction of physical infrastructure, machinery for the units and towards capacity building of workers for a period of 3 years. NBCC, which has been appointed for the construction of the infrastructure and installation of machinery at the centres has completed its task and the machinery has also been installed successfully at all three units.

The project has been completed by the Manipur Handlooms and Handicrafts Development Corporation (MHHDC). Under this intervention, each state now has one centre with three units having approximately 100 machines each. The Manipur State Government has allocated land admeasuring approximately 1.5 acres at Lamboikongnangkhong, Imphal, Manipur for this centre.

The capacity building through this centre include Skill development (3 month training for 600 trainees per Centre @ Rs. 10,000 month i.e. 3x600x10,000), Market linkages (3 domestic exhibitions and 1 international exhibition), EDP programme (1 month training programme per unit), EDP programme (1 month training programme per unit), and Management Support including Design Services (Four persons for three years).

Smriti Irani expressed happiness that there are now more than 2000 weavers with Pehchaan ID card in the State, which would be of great benefit to the weavers themselves as it entitles them to various opportunities and schemes. The Pehchaan ID card is required for the MUDRA scheme. Pehchaan ID card would be given to most of the weavers of the State by December 31 after identification and documentation.

She also elaborated on MUDRA scheme which made it possible for independent or small industry weavers to completely avoid mortgaging their properties for expanding or financing their work, thereby easing their difficulties.

Irani further said that talented weavers and their designs etc would be show-cased at international exhibitions around the world and assured that the Ministry would provide a stipend of Rs 35000 and Rs 300 per month to the distinct master artistes and their associates respectively.

She said that weaving equipment will be provided free of cost to ST/SC and BPL families. She pointed out that Rs 46.15 crore for handloom schemes, Rs 153 crore for sericulture and Rs 200 crore have been allocated promoting textile in the North East.

Addressing the occasion, Commerce Minister Govindas Konthoujam said that the centre will help in providing jobs to hundreds of unemployed lady weavers and tailors in the State . He also appealed to the Union Minister to provide equipment for washing and packaging over the already existing stitching and ironing equipment in the centre.

Dr T Meinya (Lok Sabha MP) and O Nabakishore (Chief Secretary) were also present at the event.