Bhubaneswar, Nov 1: The National Conference on Handlooms & Handicrafts 2025 concluded in Bhubaneswar today.
Organised by the offices of the Development Commissioner (Handlooms) and Development Commissioner (Handicrafts), Ministry of Textiles, the two-day conference brought together senior officials from states and union territories, policymakers, and sector experts to chart a unified vision for the growth of India’s handloom and handicraft industries.
Deliberations centred around two key objectives-assessing the current landscape of the handmade economy and shaping the framework of a forthcoming national scheme aimed at deeper state participation, integrated governance, and sustainable sectoral development.
Neelam Shami Rao, Secretary, Ministry of Textiles, chaired the second day of the conference today, in the presence of Anu Garg, Additional Chief Secretary & Development Commissioner (Odisha), and Poonam Guha Tapas Kumar, Commissioner-cum-Secretary (Handlooms, Textiles & Handicrafts), Government of Odisha.
Neelam Shami Rao, Secretary (Textiles), emphasised the need to balance the traditional craftsmanship with modern tools to enhance productivity and reduce drudgery.
The Secretary urged institutions such as the National Institute of Fashion Technology (NIFT) and the Indian Institute of Handloom Technology (IIHT) to take a proactive role in forecasting design and colour trends ahead of market cycles.
Highlighting the importance of inter-State coordination, she called for seamless movement of raw materials across states to ensure efficient supply chains in the handicrafts sector.
She stated, “We must safeguard the very ecosystem we are nurturing. Whether we call it handloom or handicraft, it should not be seen as a peripheral part of our economy- it is, in fact, the premium product of the future.”
Anu Garg reiterated the cultural and ecological value of handlooms, citing Kotpad and Dongria Shawls as sustainable examples. She called for greater recognition of artisans (including name-tagging on products), youth-oriented training in market research and product design, and announced plans for a Sustainability Cell and promotion of eco-textiles such as Katha Silk.
Dr. M. Beena, Development Commissioner (Handlooms), presented the blueprint for the National Traditional Textile Mission (2026–31)-a mission-mode approach aligned with Viksit Bharat 2047.
Amrit Raj, Development Commissioner (Handicrafts), outlined governance reforms under the Mission, proposing a three-tier National-State-District model for decentralised, outcome-based implementation with strengthened digital governance and PMU-led impact monitoring.
