Saturday, 29 August 2020

National Handloom Day

National Handloom Day

  • On the occasion of the 6th National Handloom Day on 7th August 2020, the Ministry of Textiles is organizing a virtual function in the wake of the Covid-19 pandemic.
  • The first National Handloom Day was celebrated in Chennai in 2015.
  • The date, 7th August, was chosen as the Swadeshi Movement was launched on the same date in the year 1905, which was based on the Gandhian ideology of Swadeshi.
  • On this day, the handloom weaving community is honored and the contribution of this sector is highlighted.

Objectives:

  • To generate awareness about the handloom industry amongst the public at large and its contribution to socio-economic development.
  • To protect India’s handloom heritage and to enable the handloom weavers and workers with greater opportunities.
  • To ensure sustainable development of the handloom sector thereby empowering handloom workers financially and instilling pride in their exquisite craftsmanship.

Significance:

  • The handloom sector is a symbol of India’s glorious cultural heritage.
  • India’s soft power has long been endorsed by the handloom and handicraft space. ‘Saree diplomacy’ and ‘Khadi diplomacy’ are some such examples.
  • The textiles and handloom sector in India is the second-largest source of employment to people, after agriculture.
  • According to the Fourth All India Handloom Census 2019-20, 31.45 lakh households are engaged in handloom, weaving, and allied activities.
  • It is an important source of livelihood in the country and a key to women empowerment as over 70% of handloom weavers and allied workers are women.
Source: PIB

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