Text of PM’s address at National Hand-loom Day

Published By : Admin | August 7, 2015 | 16:38 IST
We need to make our handloom tradition the centrepiece of fashion for India and the world: PM
We should enlarge the scope of e-commerce for sale of handloom products: PM Modi
Government is committed to extend robust social security cover to weaver families: PM
The handloom sector has inherent strengths that we need to market: PM
Handloom can be our weapon against poverty, says PM Modi
Innovative  design backed by good marketing is essential for promotion of handlooms: PM

वणक्कम्, 

Weaver brothers and sisters Awardees Ladies and Gentlemen 

तमील नाट्टुक्कु वन्ददिल् ।। मीक्क मगील्ची ।

नेशवालअ अन्बरगलै ।। काण्बदिल् ।। मेलूम् मगील्ची


सबसे पहले तमिलनाडु की मुख्यमंत्री आदरणीय डॉक्टर जे. जयललिता जी का, Tamil Nadu Government का और तमिलनाडु के नागरिकों का हृदय से अभिनंदन करता हूं कि आपने एक महत्वपूर्ण कार्यक्रम को एक host के रूप में तमिलनाडु में मनाया। आज राष्ट्रीय Handloom Day का प्रारंभ हो रहा है और तमिलनाडु से हो रहा है सामान्य रूप से सरकार को सब चीज दिल्ली में करने की आदत है, लेकिन मेरी कोशिश है कि सरकार दिल्ली से बाहर निकले और आज पूरी दिल्ली सरकार तमिलनाडु में मौजूद है। 

I congratulate you and extend my best wishes on the occasion of the first National Handloom Day. 

The Swadeshi movement was launched on 7th August, 1905. It is remembered as one of the major events of our freedom struggle. It was on this day that Indians started to boycott imported textiles. Therefore this day has a special significance for handlooms. Hence we have chosen this day to be celebrated as National Handlooms day.

आजादी का जंग जब चल रहा था, उस समय गुलामी से मुक्ति के लिए handloom एक हथियार था। आज आजाद भारत में गरीबी से मुक्ति के लिए handloom एक हथियार बन सकता है।

India is home to several world famous handloom products. To name a few we have Kanchivaram (कांजीवरम) of Tamil Nadu, Baluchari and Jamdani (बालुचारी and जामदानी) of West Bengal, Chanderi and Maheswari (चंदेरी and महेश्वरी) of Madhya Pradesh, Muga (मूगा) of Assam, Patola (पटोला) of Gujarat, Kani and Shehtoosh (कानी and शहतूश) of Jammu and Kashmir and Pochampally (पोचमपल्ली) of Andhra Pradesh. The handloom sector has inherent strengths that we need to market.

Handloom mainly uses natural fiber like cotton, silk, wool, jute etc. Therefore it is Eco-friendly. We can make it even more Eco-friendly by using vegetable dyes and other organic products.

Today people are very conscious of the environment and holistic healthcare. We need to exploit this in marketing handloom products both domestically and for exports. On 2nd October last year, I had asked people to use one item of Khadi to brighten the lives of artisans. I am informed that since then sale of Khadi has gone up by 60% as compared to the same period last year. मैंने पिछली बार, दिवाली से पहले मन की बात में लोगों से प्रार्थना की थी कि आप घर में पच्चीसों प्रकार की fabric रखते हैं। कोई रिश्तेदार आए तो बताते हैं कि मेरे पास ये है, ये है, ये है लेकिन एक खादी नहीं होता है। कम से कम घर में एकाध-एकाध चीज खादी की रखा करिए। इतनी से मेरी request को देशवासियों ने मान लिया और 60 प्रतिशत बिक्री बढ़ गई, गरीब के घर में दीया जला।

We now also need to give a similar call for handlooms. Can we not enhance use of handlooms in our daily lives? We have many options such as clothes curtains bed sheets table covers door mats and rugs just to name a few. This will not only support handlooms but will also support our weavers.

I am told that handlooms form 15% of total cloth consumption. If we raise this to just 20%, from 15% to 20%, it will give a huge boost to handlooms. Handloom turnover will increase by 33%.

People, especially women, wear handloom clothes on social occasions like marriages and major festivals. We need to popularize this among our youth. This will give the much-needed boost to the handloom sector.

मुझे कभी-कभी लगता है कि हम कभी Five Star Hotel में खाएं, Seven Star Hotel में खाना खाएं, लेकिन जब घर में मां के हाथ का खाना मिलता है तो उसका आनंद कुछ और होता है, एक अलग संतोष होता है, क्यों? क्योंकि मां जब खिलाती है, तब सिर्फ खाना नहीं खिलाती है, उसमें भरपूर प्यार भी मिला हुआ होता है और इसके कारण हमें संतोष भी उतना ही मिलता है। मैं कभी-कभी जब खादी या हैंडलूम पर सोचता हूं तो मुझे लगता है कि दुनिया की चाहे कितनी ही variety क्यों न पहन लें, लेकिन जब हैंडलूम या खादी की चीज लगती है, तो ऐसा ही लगता है, जैसे मां ने परोसा है, प्यार से परोसा है, प्यार से बनाया है। ये जो फर्क है, ये जो फर्क हम महसूस करेंगे तब हमें पता चलेगा कि ये कितनी प्यार से बनाई हुई चीज, मेरे शरीर पर मैंने धारण की है।

किसी बुनकर परिवार में हम जाएं, हम देखेंगे कि पूरे घर में 80% जगह, 80% place वो लूम के लिए देते हैं और 20% place में पूरा परिवार गुजारा करता है और जब एक साड़ी लूम की बनती हुई होती है, पांच महीने-छह महीने, एक-एक ताना-बाना का काम होता है, पूरा परिवार उस साड़ी को ऐसे बनाता है जैसे मां अपनी बेटी को बड़ा बना रही हो, जैसे अपनी बेटी का लालन-पालन करती हो, उस रूप में परिवार के अंदर पूरा परिवार, उस साड़ी को बुनता है और जब वो साड़ी घर से विदाई होकर के किसी दुल्हन के शरीर पर जाने वाली होती है, उस परिवार को भी उतनी ही आनंद होता है और वैसे ही उस साड़ी की विदाई करते हैं, जैसे मां-बाप अपनी लाडली की विदाई करते हैं। इतना प्यार उस बुनकर को उन कपड़ों को बुनते-बुनते हो जाता है।

..और बुनकर परिवार जो साड़ी बनाता है उसका इतना लगाव होता है कि 15-20 साल के बाद कोई मिल जाए और पता चले कि उसने वो साड़ी पहनी है, जो उन्होंने बनाई थी, उसे देखकर के उतना उनका मन भर आता है जैसे अपने परिवार का स्वजन मिला हो, इतना लगाव बुनकर को एक ताने और बाने के साथ होता है।



We need to take several initiatives to make handlooms fashionable. This can be done by bringing new designs and colour schemes, constantly evolving and innovating, ensuring quality. Fashion and design education in India also needs to be re-oriented. We need to make our handloom tradition the centerpiece of fashion for India and the world. 

We are committed to give a rightful place to our famous traditional handloom products. India Handloom Brand has been launched with the sole objective of winning the trust and confidence of customers. 

मुझे अभी किसी ने एक किताब दी थी। उस किताब में, दुनिया में हैंडलूम के भिन्न-भिन्न प्रकार, handicraft के भिन्न-भिन्न प्रकार के, किस शताब्दी में क्या-क्या काम होता है। दुनिया के भिन्न-भिन्न देशों के.. उन्होंने बड़ी ही एक tree बनाया है। कोई 1500 साल पुरानी चीजें थीं उसमें, कोई 1400 साल थी, कोई 1000 साल थी, कोई 200 साल थी। मैं हैरान था छोटे-छोटे देशों का भी उसमें नाम था, लेकिन पूरी उस tree में handicraft औऱ handloom की दुनिया में हिन्दुस्तान का नामो-निशान नहीं था। I was shocked, एक उनकी अज्ञानता के ऊपर और दूसरा हम लोगों ने कभी हमारी बातों को branding नहीं किया। दुनिया को पता तक नहीं कि एक जमाना था कि हमारे देश के बुनकरों और कारीगरों से बनाई हुई चीजें, दुनिया के पांचों खंडों में चाहे अफ्रीका हो, यूरोप हो, चाहे अरब राष्ट्र हो, चाहे China हो सब दूर हमारी चीजें बिकती थीं और उसको लेने के लिए दुनिया लालायित रहती थी। लेकिन आज जो लोग किताबें लिखते हैं उनको पता तक नहीं है कि हमारा कभी इतना भव्य इतिहास रहा है क्योंकि हमने हमारी चीजों का जो global branding करना चाहिए, global marketing करना चाहिए उसमें कहीं न कहीं हम कम पड़े हैं। 

कभी-कभी हम लोग सोचते हैं कि इस काम को कैसे बढाया जाए। छोटे-छोटे प्रयास भी भी हमें बहुत बड़ा परिवर्तन देते हैं। जैसे The film industry has a major role in popularizing fashion in India. And of course I know that Chennai is a big center of the film industry. Can our film makers decide that at least one out of five films will only use handlooms, handicrafts and khadi? 

हमारे फिल्म इंडस्ट्री वाले अपनी फिल्म को popular करने के लिए कुछ दृश्यों के विषयों में बताते हैं कि ये वहां का दृश्य है, ये ढिकना का shooting है तो automatic उनको देखने वाले मिल जाते हैं। अगर वे तय करें कि भई मैं पांच फिल्मों से एक फिल्म ऐसी बनाऊंगा,जिसमें हर कोई हैंडलूम का ही उपयोग होगा, सबके कपड़े भी हैंडलूम के होंगे, handicraft का उपयोग होगा, सारी चीजें ऐसी होगी। मैं उनको विश्वास दिलाता हूं, देश के करोड़ों बुनकर, करोड़ों कारीगर उनकी फिल्म देखने के लिए जरूर जाएंगे, अपने आप उनको मार्केट मिल जाएगा। 

आज के मैनेजमेंट गुरु जब industrial development की बात करते हैं तो cluster concept की बात करते हैं तो cluster को promote करने की बात करते हैं। हमारे पूर्वजों ने सदियों पहले अगर हम सिर्फ handloom और handicraft को देखें तो हमें पता चलेगा कि कैसे cluster से हमारे यहां काम होता था। अब देखिए उत्तर प्रदेश जाइए तो बनारस handloom का एक बहुत बड़ा cluster बना हुआ है। अगर आप यहां कांचीपुरम जाइए, आपको handloom का बहुत बड़ा cluster बना हुआ आपको दिखाई देगा, आप देवगिरी जाइए, महाराष्ट्र में आपको बहुत बड़ा हैंडलूम का cluster बना हुआ दिखाई देगा यानि उस समय भी चाहे supply chain की बात हो, चाहे marketing की बात हो, चाहे cluster development की बात हो, चाहे raw material supply की बात हो। आज के जितने भी मैनेजमेंट गुरु जो बातें बताते हैं वो सदियों से handloom-handicraft की दुनिया में हमारे पूर्वजों ने develop किया हुआ था।

Recently, we have launched the “Digital India Movement”. which will soon connect all Indians through the Internet. Young consumers are now buying extensively through e-commerce platforms. Therefore we should enlarge the scope of e-commerce for sale of handloom products.

As we develop markets for handlooms we also need to extend support to our weavers on the production side. I am happy to learn that the National Handloom Development Corporation supplied 27% more yarn during 2014-15 as compared to the previous year.

Assistance to individual weavers for building work sheds and purchasing loom and accessories will now be directly transferred to their bank accounts. We have taken a major step for developing handloom clusters at the block level. Earlier, assistance of only about 60 lakhs rupees was being given for one handloom cluster. This has now been increased up to 2 crore rupees.

पहले बिचौलिये और दलालों की दुनिया चलती थी। अब सीधा बैंक अकाउंट में weaver के पास पैसा पहुंचेगा। दूसरा, पहले जो shed के लिए आपको सात लाख रुपया दिया जाता था, अब दो करोड़ रुपया दिया जाएगा।

The main objective of all our efforts is to increase wages of our weavers. Weaving is a very laborious job. In some cases, a weaver takes months to weave a single saree. We need to put in place systems that will ensure that they are paid their rightful wages. We also need to improve technology to enhance productivity and reduce labour in the pre-loom activity.

This will help enhance income levels. Apart from increasing incomes our Government is also committed to extend robust social security cover to weaver families.

We have launched a national drive for financial inclusion through Jan Dhan Yojana. Recently we have also launched three new social security schemes intended to benefit unorganized sectors.

The Pradhan Mantri Jeevan Jyoti Beema Yojana will provide life insurance. The Pradhan Mantri Suraksha Beema Yojana will give you accident insurance cover. The Atal Pension Yojana will give you a pension from the age of 60. You can protect your future by paying a small amount every month.

I call upon all of you to join these schemes and also ask your friends and relatives to do so.

To address financing problems of Micro, Small & Medium Industries the Government has announced the creation of a MUDRA Bank. This bank has a corpus of Rs. 20,000 crores and a credit guarantee corpus of Rs. 3,000 crores. MUDRA Bank would ensure that at least 60% of the credit flows to loans of less than Rs. 50,000.

I am sure this initiative will benefit handloom weavers in a big way.

I congratulate all those who are being awarded today. Their expertise should be utilized for skill development programmes, as well as for production of master pieces for display.

Innovative design backed by good marketing is essential for promotion of handlooms. In this context I would like the request to the Textile Ministry to consider holding competitions and giving awards for design creation and marketing of handloom products.

National Handloom Day celebrations should not end with just a ceremony today. We have to make this a continuous movement. A movement to popularize Handlooms and to improve the lives of our weavers.

एक प्रकार से बुनकर परिवार से जुड़े लोग उनका पूरा हिसाब-किताब ताने-बाने के साथ जुड़ा हुआ है। सारा खेल ताना और बाना से बना हुआ है।

अब समय की मांग है कि हम एक नये सिरे से इस चीज का आगे बढ़ाए। हमारे पास जो परंपरागत कला है उस ताने को आधुनिक बाने के साथ कैसे जोड़े?

Handloom में ज्‍यादातर महिलाएं हैं। Handloom गांवो में है। समय की मांग है कि गांव का ताना global बाने के साथ कैसे जुड़े और गांव का ताना और global बाने का मिलन कैसे हम?

समय की मांग है कि गरीबी का ताना और अमीरी का बाना दोनों को जोड़ करके हम आर्थिक समृद्धि की दिशा में handloom को आगे बढ़ाए। उत्‍तर-दक्षिण का ताना और पूरब-पश्चिम का बाना भारत के कोने-कोने में पड़ी इस कला को एक दूसरे से परिचित करा करके एक महाशक्ति के रूप में handloom को कैसे उभारे?

गांव का un-skill से ले करके दुनिया के हर high-skill के साथ एक तरफ un-skill का ताना, तो दूसरी तरफ high skill का बाना। इस ताने और बाने के मिलन से हम handloom के उद्योग को नई ऊंचाईयों पर कैसे ले जाए।

Zero defect का ताना, Zero effect का बाना और हम हमारा ऐसा product करे जो दुनिया को भा जाए और जो environment के लिए सहायक हो, उपकारक हो, environment friendly हो।

मैं फिर एक बार आज सम्‍मान प्राप्‍त करने वाले सभी हमारे कारीगर भाईयों-बहनों का सम्‍मान करता हूं, अभिनंदन करता हूं और तमिलनाडु की सरकार का, नागरिकों का हृदय से अभिनंदन करता हूं। बहुत बहुत धन्‍यवाद।

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Today India is close to 100 percent electrification of railway lines, We have also continuously expanded the reach of railways: PM

Namaskar!

Telangana Governor Shri Jishnu Dev Varma Ji, Odisha Governor Shri Hari Babu Ji, Lieutenant Governor of Jammu & Kashmir Shri Manoj Sinha Ji, Chief Minister of Jammu & Kashmir Shri Omar Abdullah Ji, Chief Minister of Telangana Shri Revanth Reddy Ji, Chief Minister of Odisha Shri Mohan Charan Majhi Ji, my cabinet colleagues —Shri Ashwini Vaishnaw Ji, Shri G Kishan Reddy Ji, Dr Jitendra Singh Ji, Shri V Somaiya Ji, Shri Ravneet Singh Bittu Ji, Shri Bandi Sanjay Kumar Ji, other Ministers, Members of Parliament, Members of Legislative Assemblies, distinguished guests, ladies, and gentlemen!

Today marks the birth anniversary of Guru Gobind Singh Ji. His teachings and exemplary life continue to inspire us to work towards building a prosperous and strong Bharat. I extend my heartfelt wishes to everyone on this auspicious occasion.

Friends,

Bharat has been maintaining a remarkable pace of progress in connectivity since the start of 2025. Just yesterday, I had the privilege of experiencing the Namo Bharat Train in Delhi-NCR and inaugurating significant projects of the Delhi Metro. Yesterday, Bharat achieved an extraordinary milestone—our country’s metro network now spans over a thousand kilometres. Today, projects worth several crores of rupees have been inaugurated, and foundation stones for future developments have been laid. From Jammu and Kashmir in the north to Odisha in the east and Telangana in the south, today is a significant day for ‘new-age connectivity’ across a large portion of the nation. The commencement of modern developmental projects in these three states symbolises the unified progress of the entire country. The mantra of 'Sabka Saath, Sabka Vikas' is instilling confidence and bringing to life the vision of a Viksit Bharat (developed India). On this occasion, I congratulate the people of these three states and all Indians on the launch of these projects. Incidentally, today is also the birthday of Odisha's Chief Minister, Shri Mohan Charan Majhi Ji. On behalf of everyone, I extend my warmest wishes to him as well.

Friends,

Our country is steadfast in its efforts to fulfil the vision of a Viksit Bharat. The development of Indian Railways is central to achieving this goal. Over the past decade, Indian Railways has undergone a historic transformation. The progress in railway infrastructure has been extraordinary, altering the nation’s image and significantly boosting the morale of its citizens.

Friends,

We are advancing the development of Indian Railways on four key parameters. First, the modernisation of railway infrastructure; second, the provision of modern facilities for passengers; third, the expansion of railway connectivity to every corner of the country; and fourth, the creation of employment opportunities and support for industries through railways. Today’s programme is a testament to this vision. The establishment of new divisions and railway terminals will significantly contribute to transforming Indian Railways into a modern 21st-century network. These developments will foster an ecosystem of economic prosperity, enhance railway operations, generate more investment opportunities, and create new jobs.

Friends,

In 2014, we embarked on a journey to modernise Indian Railways. Facilities like the Vande Bharat trains, Amrit Bharat stations, and Namo Bharat Rail have set new benchmarks for Indian Railways. Aspirational India today seeks to accomplish more in less time. People now wish to undertake even long-distance journeys swiftly, leading to a growing demand for high-speed trains across the country. Currently, Vande Bharat trains operate on more than 50 routes, with 136 services offering passengers a pleasant travel experience. Just a few days ago, I saw a video showcasing the new sleeper version of the Vande Bharat train running at a speed of 180 kilometres per hour during its trial run. Such milestones fill every Indian with pride. These achievements are just the beginning, and it won’t be long before Bharat witnesses the operation of its first bullet train.

Friends,

Our goal is to make travelling by Indian Railways a memorable experience, from the departure station to the final destination. To this end, over 1,300 Amrit stations across the country are undergoing renovations. Rail connectivity has also seen remarkable growth in the past decade. In 2014, only 35% of the rail lines in the country were electrified. Today, Bharat is on the brink of achieving nearly 100% electrification of rail lines. Additionally, we have significantly extended the reach of railways. Over the last 10 years, more than 30,000 kilometres of new railway tracks have been laid, and hundreds of road overbridges and underbridges have been constructed. Unmanned crossings on broad gauge lines have been completely eliminated, reducing accidents and enhancing passenger safety. Furthermore, the development of modern rail networks, such as dedicated freight corridors, is progressing rapidly. These special corridors will reduce the burden on regular tracks, creating more opportunities for high-speed train operations.

Friends,

The ongoing transformation of Indian Railways is also driving employment opportunities. The promotion of Made-in-India initiatives, the production of modern coaches for metro and railways, the redevelopment of stations, the installation of solar panels, and the implementation of initiatives like 'One Station, One Product' are creating lakhs of new jobs. Over the last decade, lakhs of young people have secured permanent government jobs in the railways. It’s important to remember that the raw materials for manufacturing new train coaches come from other factories, and the increasing demand in these industries also translates to more job opportunities. To further strengthen railway-specific skills, Bharat has established its first Gati Shakti University, a significant step in this direction.

Friends,

As the railway network expands, new headquarters and divisions are being established accordingly. The Jammu division will benefit not only Jammu and Kashmir but also several cities in Himachal Pradesh and Punjab. Additionally, it will provide greater convenience to the people of Leh-Ladakh.

Friends,

Jammu and Kashmir is achieving remarkable milestones in rail infrastructure. The Udhampur-Srinagar-Baramulla rail line is being widely discussed across the country. This project will significantly enhance Jammu and Kashmir's connectivity with the rest of India. As part of this initiative, the world’s tallest railway arch bridge, the Chenab Bridge, has been completed. Moreover, the Anji Khad Bridge, Bharat's first cable-stayed rail bridge, is also a part of this project. Both of these are unparalleled feats of engineering, poised to bring economic progress and prosperity to the region.

Friends,

With the blessings of Lord Jagannath, Odisha is endowed with abundant natural resources and an extensive coastline, presenting immense potential for international trade. Currently, several projects focused on new railway tracks are underway in Odisha, with investments exceeding ₹70,000 crore. Seven Gati Shakti cargo terminals have already been inaugurated in the state, fostering trade and industrial growth. Today, the foundation stone for the Rayagada Railway Division has also been laid in Odisha, which will further enhance the state’s railway infrastructure. This development will boost tourism, trade, and employment opportunities in Odisha. Specifically, South Odisha, home to a significant tribal population, will benefit immensely. Through initiatives like the JANMAN Yojana, we are focusing on developing the most backward tribal regions, and this infrastructure will serve as a boon for them.

Friends,

I am honoured today to inaugurate Telangana's Cherlapalli New Terminal Station. Connecting this station to the Outer Ring Road will accelerate the region’s development. The station is equipped with modern amenities, including advanced platforms, lifts, and escalators. A noteworthy aspect is that the station operates on solar energy. This new railway terminal will significantly alleviate the burden on existing city terminals such as Secunderabad, Hyderabad, and Kachiguda, making travel more convenient for passengers. This initiative not only enhances ease of living but also promotes ease of doing business.

Friends,

Today, significant efforts are underway to develop modern infrastructure across the country. Bharat's expressways, waterways, and metro networks are expanding at an unprecedented pace. The country's airports now provide world-class facilities. In 2014, there were only 74 airports in Bharat, but that number has now more than doubled to over 150. Similarly, in 2014, metro services were available in just five cities; today, they operate in 21 cities. To match this remarkable scale and speed of development, Indian Railways is also undergoing continuous modernisation.

Friends,

All these development initiatives are integral to the roadmap for a Viksit Bharat, a mission that has become the collective aspiration of every citizen. I am confident that together we will accelerate progress on this path even further. Once again, I extend my heartfelt congratulations to all the countrymen for these achievements.

Thank you very much.