Handloom exhibition and distribution of assistance to weavers marked the 7th National Handloom Day celebration in the district on Saturday.
To honour the handloom weaving community and highlight the contribution of the sector in the socio-economic development of the country, 7th August every year is celebrated as National Handloom Day from 2015.
At the Collectorate premises, Collector H. Krishnanunni inaugurated a handloom exhibition in which 15 handloom weaving cooperative societies from across the district took part and displayed their products. Bedspreads, towels, bedsheets, pillow covers, jamakkalam, saris, doormat and other handloom products were displayed. Mr. Krishnanunni visited each stall and interacted with the weavers.
Officials said that there are 188 handloom weaving cooperative societies and 50 powerloom weavers cooperative societies in the district. A total of 59,681 handloom weavers and 7,132 power loom weavers are members of the 238 societies in the district.
For 2020-21, a manufacturing target of ₹27.16 crore was given for 158 societies of which ₹29.92 crore worth handloom items were manufactured and ₹27.01 lakh worth items were procured. For 2021-22, 149 societies were given a manufacturing target of ₹22.41 crore of handloom items and ₹55.12 lakh worth items were manufactured and ₹37.26 lakh worth handloom items were procured.
Mr. Krishnanunni distributed a loan of ₹50,000 each to four members of a cooperative society under the Micro Units Development and Refinance Agency Limited scheme.
Pratik Dayal, Project Director, District Rural Development Agency, P. Murugesan, District Revenue Officer, Tamilarasi, Joint Director, Department of Handloom and Textiles and other officials were present.