Industries Minister Mukesh Agnihotri has directed the Himachal Pradesh State Handicraft and Handloom Corporation to prepare schemes for weavers and artisans so that matter regarding same could be taken up with the Government of India. Shri Agnihotri was presiding over the 161th meeting of Board of Directors of Himachal Pradesh State Handicraft and Handloom Corporation, here today. Agnihotri said that the Corporation has earned a profit of Rs. 97.15 lakh during this period as compared Rs. 69.42 lakh earned during the last year. He said that the Corporation was running 72 Training Centres in different crafts through out the State and 22 Training Centres would be opened soon. He said that the Development Commission (Handlooms) Ministry of Textiles Government of India has sanctioned one Gandhi Shilp Bazar for the State which would be organised at Una during the ensuing winter.
Industries Minister said that the Union Ministry of Textiles has also sanctioned 6 exhibitions for the State for which the Centre Government would provide 75 per cent grant. He said that these exhibitions would be organised at Agra, Varanasi, Lucknow, Jaipur, Hisar and Udaipur. He said that one Silk Weavers Cluster Project was in final stage of sanction for Ghumarwin in Bilaspur District. This Rs. 52.45 lakh project would benefit about 240 weavers of the State.It was informed in the meeting that the Corporation had registered a cumulative sale of Rs. 1129.17 lakh during this year till 31st August 2013 as compared to last year’s sale of Rs. 909.67 lakh.Shri Rakesh Dutta, Shri Shashi Sharma, Shri Vineet Viz and Shri Umesh Negi directors of BoD also gave their valuable suggestion. Principal Secretary Industries Shri R.D. Dhiman, Director Industries Shri Mohan Chauhan, Managing Director HP State Handicraft and Handloom Corporation Shri A.C. Sharma, Special Secretary Finance Shri Rajesh Sharma and other senior officers also attended the meeting.