INDIA: IIE plans cluster for handloom, handicraft products
BharatTextile.com (subscription), India
GUWAHATI: The Indian Institute of Entrepreneurship (IIE) through cluster development approach is planning to set a common brand for handloom and handicraft products of the region, IIE director K Ahmed said here on October 25.
The ultimate goal of developing cluster by IIE was set aiming to help small and medium entrepreneurs (SMEs) of the region to survive the competition in the global market, as there is no alternative to cluster development
The common North-East brand for handloom and handicraft products would definitely be a boon for the small entrepreneurs to get remunerative prices for their products, he added.
IIE has so far set up a cane and bamboo cluster at Dimapur in Nagaland under clear mandate from DC-SSI, Government of India as part of its immediate goal to popularise and set up common cluster level brands of products in the region
However IIE aims to increase the number of entrepreneurs in the cluster to 100 on completion of three years from 12 entrepreneurs about one and a half year back.
Further, another handloom cluster set up by the IIE in Imphal East district of Manipur has gained tremendous popularity with 500 weavers joining it at the initial stage.
Around 17 handloom clusters of 100 in the country have been planed in the north-eastern part of country by the Development Commissioner, Handloom, Government of India.