Union textiles minister focuses on handloom protection and tech-led growth
Kolkata (PTI): Union Textiles Minister Giriraj Singh on Sunday held discussions with weavers and officials in West Bengal, focusing on strengthening the handloom sector through policy support, technology integration and improved market access.
Beginning his visit at Shantipur in Nadia district, the minister interacted with weavers and handloom workers and said the sector would be protected from unfair competition by power looms, a statement said.
He also announced that school uniforms would be sourced exclusively from handwoven fabric.
Singh highlighted the significance of GI-tagged sarees such as Shantipuri, Baluchari and Tangail, and said proposed trade agreements with the United States and the European Union could open up wider export opportunities for Bengal's artisans.
Referring to the Mahatma Gandhi Gram Vikas Yojana, he said efforts were being made to strengthen marketing linkages, while the use of artificial intelligence-based quality sampling could help improve consistency and global competitiveness. The minister noted that West Bengal has nearly seven lakh weavers.
Later, Singh visited Barrackpore and met senior officials of the Central Research Institute for Jute and Allied Fibres (CRIJAF), National Institute of Fashion Technology Extension and Training (NINFET) and Indian Jute Industries' Research Association (IJIRA) at the CRIJAF campus.
The discussions focused on adopting new technologies within traditional textile ecosystems to enhance productivity, quality and sustainability without diluting artisanal character.
Officials briefed the minister on ongoing research related to fibre innovation, design development and climate-resilient practices for handlooms and allied sectors.
Shantipur is among the country's oldest handloom centres, known for its fine cotton sarees, while the institutions in Barrackpore are engaged in research, training and innovation across jute, handloom and allied textile segments, the statement said.
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Rickelton's ton in vain as SRH beat MI by 6 wickets
Mumbai (PTI): Ryan Rickelton's whirlwind unbeaten ton was overshadowed by Heinrich Klaasen's unbeaten 65 as Sunrisers Hyderabad defeated Mumbai Indians by six wickets in an IPL match here on Wednesday.
Chasing an imposing 244-run target, Travis Head (76 off 30) and Abhishek Sharma (45 off 24) shared 129 runs for the opening wicket to set the platform for SRH.
Klaasen (65 not out off 30 balls) then displayed his all-round hitting abilities to guide SRH home with the help of Nitish Kumar Reddy (21) and Salil Arora (30 not out off 10) in 18.4 overs.
Earlier, Rickelton's knock powered MI to 243 for five.
MI rode on a 93-run stand between Rickelton (123 not out off 55 balls) and Will Jacks (46 off 22) in 7.1 overs for the opening stand to power the side.
MI skipper Hardik Pandya scored a valuable 31 off 15 balls before being dismissed.
Praful Hinge (2/54), Eshan Malinga (1/29), Sakib Hasan (1/39) and Nitish Kumar Reddy (1/31) were the wicket-takers for SRH.
Brief Scores:
Mumbai Indian: 243 for 5 in 20 overs (Ryan Rickelton 123 not out; Praful Hinge 2/54).
Sunrisers Hyderabad: 249 for 4 in 18.4 overs (Travis Head 76, Heinrich Klaasen 65 not out; AM Ghazanfar 2/51).
