Silk weavers of Uttarakhand will be sent on study tours to four states to gain first-hand exposure to modern technology, new designs and advanced silk production processes, said Cooperation Minister Dr Dhan Singh Rawat on Wednesday. He made the announcement while inaugurating the fourth retail outlet of “Doon Silk” on Rajpur Road here.
Dr Rawat said the study tours would significantly enhance the skills and efficiency of silk weavers and enable them to adopt best practices and innovations from other states in Uttarakhand. He directed officials to ensure that the programme is well-planned, goal-oriented and outcome-driven so that participants derive maximum benefit.
During the event, the minister interacted directly with silk weavers and sought feedback on the functioning of the Uttarakhand Cooperative Silk Federation. The weavers expressed satisfaction with the federation’s transparent working, timely payments and training programmes, stating that these initiatives were directly benefiting them.
Cooperation Secretary Dr Iqbal Ahmed inspected the Doon Silk outlet and reviewed the federation’s activities. Praising the work done in the cooperative sector, he said Uttarakhand’s efforts under the leadership of the cooperation minister were commendable and widely appreciated.
A weaving workshop was organised on the occasion, and cheques and certificates were distributed to beneficiaries under the Silk Samagra project. Managing Director Anand Shukla said the federation aims to empower 10,000 women as Lakhpati Didis, add six more outlets soon, and achieve a business turnover of Rs 10 crore next year.