NEW DELHI:  The Textile ministry has abolished the All India Handicrafts Board and the All India Handloom Board — advisory bodies created to help the government in “formulation of the overall development programmes” in the handicrafts and handloom sectors, “keeping in view socio-economic cultural and artistic perspective.”

The board which comprised members from Centre, state governments was constituted on January 23, 1992 under the chairpersonship of Union Minister of Textiles. The current board was reconstituted for a period of two years on January 2, 2014. 

“In consonance with the Government of India vision of “Minimum Government and Maximum Governance’, a leaner Government Machinery and the need for systemtic rationalization of Government bodies, the Government has abolished All India Handloom Board wth effect from the date of issue of this resolution,” said the gazetted notification of the government.

“The All India Handloom Board was constituted... for the overall development of the handloom sector under the chairmanship of Union Minister of Textiles with official members from the central state governments and members from the handloom industry. Thereafter, the All India Handloom Board has been reconstituted from time to time,” ministry website read.