Itanagar: Arunachal CM Pema Khandu on Friday announced a comprehensive plan to modernise Arunachal Pradesh’s traditional handloom and silk sectors, linking tribal craftsmanship with global markets while protecting the state’s cultural identity, an official report said.Inaugurating the three-day 12th National Handloom Day celebrations at the DK Convention Centre, Khandu said handloom is a living heritage of indigenous communities, not just a source of livelihood. Arunachal Pradesh has more than 32,000 weavers — mostly women — making the sector a key pillar of the rural economy and women’s empowerment, he said.“Every woven fabric of Arunachal tells the story of our people, traditions and identity,” Khandu said, adding that the state must ensure the craft delivers sustainable income and economic independence for women artisans.To strengthen the ecosystem, the state govt has set up common facility centres (CFCs), upgraded weaving infrastructure and introduced modern equipment. Weavers are being trained in natural dyeing, quality control and contemporary design to improve market competitiveness. Khandu also urged young entrepreneurs to use branding, e-commerce and digital platforms to take local products to wider markets.The CM underlined the need for geographical indication (GI) registration for indigenous textiles, saying GI tags would protect traditional knowledge from imitation and help artisans secure premium pricing.On sericulture, Khandu said Arunachal Pradesh is naturally suited for all four commercially viable silk varieties — eri, muga, mulberry and oak tasar — and called for coordinated action among the Handloom, Textiles and Sericulture departments to build a complete value chain from silkworm rearing to high-end weaving.During the event, he launched the Department of Textiles & Handicrafts website, an Artisan Data Bank and “Atii – Arunachal Honey.” He also distributed SAMARTH certificates and Yarn Pass Books, and felicitated master weavers and outstanding artisans. The programme was attended by ministers, legislators, senior officials, self-help groups and artisans from across the state.
