Bhubaneswar, August 7: The Odisha government is preparing a dedicated global roadmap to promote the state's handloom and textile sector, with the aim of taking Odisha's traditional weaves and handloom products to international markets in coordination with the Centre, the Department of Handlooms, Textiles and Handicrafts said.

As part of the initiative, AI and blockchain-enabled handloom hubs will be established at Abhimanpur in Cuttack and Gopalpur in Jajpur at a cost of ₹13.51 crore and ₹15 crore, respectively. The hubs will house production facilities, supply chain infrastructure, training and marketing centres, dedicated stalls, administrative offices and Resham Odisha outlets.

A Handloom and Apparel Park will also be developed at Gobindpur in Bargarh over 9.35 acres with an investment of ₹20 crore, creating production facilities for more than 300 artisans. In addition, a Weavers' Haat with 2,000 weaving units will be set up at Balijuri Behera over 29.12 acres at a cost of ₹27.57 crore, boosting local employment and the handloom ecosystem.

The department said Odisha has around 15,000 sericulture families and nearly one lakh people engaged in silk cultivation. Under the Chief Minister's Sericulture Development Scheme, ₹274.22 crore will be invested over the next five years to promote Tasar, Mulberry, Muga and Eri silk, establish the Karuna Silk Spinning Mill and revive the spinning unit at Bhagamunda in Keonjhar.

India aims to achieve US$100 billion in handloom, textile and apparel exports by 2030, with the Ministry of Textiles targeting an increase in the country's global export share from 4.1% to 7%. Odisha exported handloom, textile and handicraft products worth ₹757.3 crore during 2024–25.

To strengthen the sector, the state has allocated ₹382.58 crore in the current budget, while the Chief Minister's Textile Scheme will invest ₹490.95 crore over five years for textile parks, loom subsidies, weaver training, marketing support, strengthening of Boyanika, Utkalika, Sambalpuri Bastralaya and Resham Odisha, and the development of a modern Chandua Market at Pipili along with dedicated handloom outlets across the state.