The Centre has given cooperative handloom societies a place in national textile policy making by including the President of Handloom Weavers’ Cooperative Societies as a member in the newly constituted Textile Industry Development Council.
The Ministry of Textiles has constituted the new council for two years under the Industries (Development and Regulation) Act, 1951.
The move assumes significance for the cooperative sector as handloom cooperatives represent lakhs of traditional weavers across the country.
Their inclusion in the council is expected to ensure that the concerns of cooperative weavers, rural artisans and small textile producers are directly reflected in national textile policies.
Apart from cooperative representation, the council includes members from the Khadi and Village Industries Commission, textile manufacturers’ associations, export promotion councils, research institutions and retail bodies.
The council will function under the chairmanship of the Secretary, Ministry of Textiles.