Kilangla Ajem
Dimapur | April 17
Exploring more on employment opportunities, the young Naga weavers are certainly taking advantage of the ‘Integrated Handlooms Development Scheme’ (IHDS) launched by Government of India, Ministry of Textiles, DC (Handlooms) and implemented by the Department of Industries and Commerce, Nagaland. The IHDS centre set up at Toluvi village in Dimapur on June 15, 2011 has taken off on a high note and has been successful in meticulously ironing out the implementation of the scheme, creating employment opportunities for more than 3000 weavers all over the state. IHDS has so far completed two batches consisting of 47 weavers and the 3rd batch of trainees consisting of 28 weavers, is undergoing training programme on Jacquard (design) and embroidery works.
The IHDS centre is equipped with design and weaving workshop for Fly Shuttle Loom, Paddle Loom, Jacquard and Embroidery machine and block printing machines are to be introduced shortly. IHDS centre has three highly dedicated and reputed trainers and the innovative ways adopted by the trainers to enhance training has been immensely effective, resulting in proper channelizing of the skills imparted. All the trainers are committed to make the centre a vibrant focal point for growth and development of handloom industry in the state.
Kagholi Chishi , one of the trainer in IHDS centre who has worked for Bombay Dyeing and co-ordinated numerous fashion shows and designs all over India, stated that the trainees initially comes with a pre-conceived design of handloom products but once they are in the training centre, they are encouraged to inculcate new approaches which are more creative and more original. She also asserted by saying “Unlike other Government set ups, we are very particular of the training period. The training centre strictly maintains discipline and we not only train them in weaving but we also follow overall grooming routine.”
The girls are all between the age group of 20-28 years and show no qualms of the tedious routine at the centre. One of the trainees, Imcharenla from ABTM Impur SHG said: “This is my second term attending the course and I have learned so much and is still learning.
The trainers in IHDS centre are very efficient and have wide knowledge of the subject. I was unemployed and had no other way out, but thanks to the scheme, today, we have 10 operational looms in our unit”.
Wepetsho- U Kupa another trainee from Pfutsero said: “I am uneducated and I had no skills for any sort of employment. I had no knowledge of weaving but thanks to the scheme, I became a member of a SHG of 10 members and was sent for the training to IHDS centre and today I am not just a weaver but I would go back to my unit and would be a trainer as well”.
The Scheme is definitely changing the lives of many Naga women but Chishi expressed her concern by stating that in other states, men are also actively involved in the weaving sector but there is still the label of ‘Women’s Job’ attached to weaving in Nagaland. She said these attitudes should be done away with and the Naga men should start developing interest in these aspects as well and create employment opportunities for themselves.
The training which is for a period of three months is taken up by representatives from different SHGs all over Nagaland after which the trained weavers goes back and trains the other weavers in their respective units. The Department also gives employment opportunities to the outstanding trainees by employing them as master trainees at the IHDS centre rather than employing trainers from outside.
The department has introduced the ‘paddle loom,’ the latest technology from Rajasthan and the ‘jacquard machine’ to enable the weavers to produce quality products with improved productivity. The department is of the opinion that by introducing such machineries, production can be diversified and value added products can suit the market.
Director of Industries and Commerce Thekruneituo Kire, said the Ministry of Textiles sanctioned 33 clusters consisting of 330 SHGs under the IHDS Scheme covering both the rural and urban areas in the state. The Department has identified 10 more clusters for the state and has forwarded it to the Central Government seeking permission. He mentioned that there are numerous other schemes introduced by the Central Government for the weavers and that the weavers of Nagaland should come forward and avail such benefits. The director also added “Government can take a holistic approach so that the products from the handloom can be locally consumed, like absorbing handloom products by departments such as Police, Medical, Schools and Colleges etc. We are also exploring markets for the products not just in Nagaland but also in the metros like Kolkata & Delhi where sales emporium have been set up”.
He said that earlier the picture of the weaving sector was very grim in spite of the assistance from the Department, but gradually people are putting in their earnest efforts and picking up the skills needed to develop the handloom sector in the state.
The Director said the objective of the scheme is to assist the handloom weavers groups for becoming self-sustainable and to upgrade the skills of handloom weavers to produce diversified products with improved quality to meet the market requirements.
He also added that the Government of India has already approved two yarn depots and that with more clusters coming up; the Department should be able to accommodate more weavers and form more SHGs which ultimately would result in more productivity. The Department is also concentrating on market orientation by associating entrepreneurs, designers and professionals for marketing, designing and managing the production.
The task of streamlining the handloom sector would no doubt be an uphill task, but if the weavers are empowered to chart out a sustainable path for growth and diversification in line with the emerging market trends than it does looks like a promising employer in the state.
