CM appeals to people to support Swadeshi
2
Bhubaneswar: In the wake of the recent hike in tariffs on Indian exports by US president Donald Trump, chief minister Mohan Charan Majhi made a strong appeal to the people of the state to support the Swadeshi movement by using indigenous products and wearing handloom garments at least once a week.
"Handlooms are not just an economic pillar but also a symbol of national pride and cultural heritage. From ancient maritime trade to the modern global fashion stage, Odisha's weaving tradition has consistently reflected excellence and spirituality," said Majhi, while addressing stakeholders of the handloom and textiles sector during the National Handlooms Day celebration here on Thursday. He inaugurated EKTA - Exhibition-cum-Knowledge sharing for Textile Advantage at Janata Maidan.
He said the govt is committed to ensuring the social and economic betterment of weavers and promoting indigenous products in both domestic and global markets. He announced Bollywood actress Madhuri Dixit as the brand ambassador for Odisha Handlooms for a year, promoting it on national and international platforms. Majhi expressed optimism that with Madhuri Dixit's active collaboration, Odisha handloom products would gain enhanced recognition in both national and international fashion markets.
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Highlighting the remarkable growth of the handloom sector at the national and state levels, Majhi said in Odisha alone, over 1.3 lakh weaving labour assistants have been engaged across all 30 districts. "To encourage youth participation in the handlooms and textiles sector, the state govt plans to introduce fellowship and internship programmes," Majhi said.
To further strengthen the sector, the govt has signed 33 MoUs for an investment of Rs 7,808 crores in the textile sector, which is expected to create 53,300 job opportunities.
To support this growth, facilities such as dye houses, warehouses, design studios, and quality control laboratories are being developed in key locations like Bargarh and Cuttack. Six textile parks will be set up across the state to further strengthen the industry, he added.
The govt is providing support in marketing and e-commerce linkage to the weavers and is promoting the participation of Odia weavers in exhibitions in France, Japan, the US, and Singapore.
"This is a moment to reclaim our economic self-reliance. Wearing handloom is not just fashion, it's a movement. Let each of us take pride in our heritage and help make Odisha handloom a global brand," he said.
The minister of handloom, textiles, and handicrafts, Pradeep Bal Samanta, highlighted ongoing efforts to modernise and market the handloom industry while preserving its rich traditions. Over 40 weavers were awarded on the occasion for their excellence and innovation.
The Ekta handloom fair, which will run until Aug 13, showcased the rich tapestry of Odisha's handloom heritage. The event was attended by various dignitaries, including development commissioner Anu Garg, handlooms, textiles and handicrafts secretary Guha Punam Tapas Kumar, and director of the department Prem Chand Chaudhury.
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