Mokokchung, 26 September (MTNews): The District Handloom Expo, known as “Tana Bana,” opened its doors to the public at the Kushiabill Public Ground in Dimapur on 26 September 2023. The event was inaugurated by N Vikheho Aye, Joint Director of Industries & Commerce, and is set to run for five days, concluding on 30 September. Organized by the Department of Industries & Commerce and funded by the Development Commissioner Handlooms, Ministry of Textiles, Government of India, ‘Tana Bana’ aims to provide local weavers with a platform to showcase and sell their authentic handloom products directly to potential buyers.
After officially inaugurating the event, Joint Director N Vikheho Aye embarked on a tour of all the exhibition stalls, expressing his keen interest in the exquisite exhibits crafted by local weavers. Lucy Ngouri, Functional Manager of Industries & Commerce, shed light on the event, which boasts a total of 25 stalls, comprising 20 dedicated to handloom products and five showcasing unique handicrafts. She emphasized that the primary goal of this expo is to provide weavers with a broader platform to exhibit and directly sell their genuine products to potential buyers. She appealed to the public to visit the expo and extend their support to local weavers by purchasing their handmade products.
It is noteworthy that ‘Tana Bana’ has been a significant presence in various districts in the past, having been held in Pfutsero, Noklak, Tseminyu in 2022, and earlier this year in Mokokchung. Looking ahead, the district handloom expo is scheduled to be held in Kohima, Dimapur, and Phek in October 2023.
In a broader context, it is essential to recognize the challenges faced by artisans in the region. In 2016, the Ministry of Textiles launched the ‘Pehchan’ scheme, aimed at creating unique IDs for Indian artisans, linked to their Aadhar cards. As of 2019, this initiative had successfully identified 24,87,811 artisans nationwide, with 7.3% of them hailing from the North Eastern Region. The highest concentrations were found in Assam (40%) and Manipur (38%), followed by Tripura (7%), Arunachal Pradesh (5%), and Nagaland (4.5%).
However, despite the significant presence of artisans in the North Eastern Region, a 2020 report by the Dr APJ Abdul Kalam Centre for Policy Research and Analysis at the Indian Institute of Management, Shillong revealed that only 2% of handloom households and workers were located in Nagaland. Many artisans engage in weaving as a seasonal and part-time activity, with an average of just 87 days per year spent in this craft.
Within the region, only 11% of handloom workers in Nagaland are engaged in full-time weaving. Moreover, the average production of major fabric per weaver per day in the North Eastern Region is just 4.0 meters, less than half the national average of 8.4 meters, with Nagaland’s production standing at a mere 3.5 meters per day. Alarmingly, 87.5% of handloom weavers in the region report monthly incomes from handloom-related activities of less than Rs 5000.
Despite the Government of India’s ongoing efforts to promote holistic development in the handicrafts and handloom sector through various production, promotional, and welfare schemes, there remains a significant lack of awareness among weavers and artisans across the country regarding these schemes and their potential benefits.
In light of these challenges, the District Handloom Expo, ‘Tana Bana,’ stands as a promising initiative, providing a potential way forward for the empowerment of local weavers and artisans.