Meghalaya's Textile Hub Set to Boom: Union Minister Announces New Weavers' Centre
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Union Textiles Minister Giriraj Singh has announced the establishment of a new Weavers' Service Centre in Meghalaya, subject to the state government allocating land for the project. Currently, the northeast has only one such centre in Guwahati. The proposed centre will offer essential support to weavers, including design, technical, and market assistance. This initiative is part of the Union government's efforts to modernize weaving technologies, strengthen handloom clusters, and promote natural fibres globally. Singh also highlighted the region's rich textile heritage, calling it the 'pride of India's textile heritage'. To enhance farmers' income, the minister announced plans to expand Muga sericulture, aiming to double farmers' earnings by moving from two to three Muga crops per year. With the right practices, one acre can yield up to ₹4-5 lakh. The Central Silk Board and the Meghalaya sericulture department will collaborate on this initiative. India is the only country producing all major silk varieties, and scaling up Muga and Eri production in Meghalaya and the northeast could make India a global leader in the industry. The region is already prominent, with 52% of India's handlooms located there. A meeting of textile ministers will be held in Guwahati next month to discuss a northeast-focused textile agenda. The Integrated Textile & Tourism Centre at Nongpoh, inaugurated by Singh, will serve as an integrated platform for training, design development, silk processing, product diversification, and textile tourism, providing artisans with access to national and global opportunities.
