New design handloom silk sarees to debut in Diwali

Chennai, May 9 (UNI) The Department of Handlooms and Textiles in Tamil Nadu will release 1,500 new designs of silk sarees during the ensuing Diwali festival, Handloom Minister N K K P Raja today said.

Inaugurating a six-day handloom exhibition-cum-sales here, he told newspersons in order to bring in cutting edge technologies in the operations of handloom cooperatives, the government decided to adopt new marketing strategies by bringing out innovative designs and using value addition approaches.

A design intervention project entrusted with the National Institute of Design (NID), Ahmedabad would cover Cuddalore, Tiruchirapalli, Thirubuvanam, Vilandai, Kurinjipadi and Gudiyatham.

NID had already developed 1,500 new designs.

Launching, the 'Kodai Pookal' handloom, silk and cotton sarees, Mr Raja said the government had sanctioned Rs 40 lakh for the three- phase design development project.

The final phase of cluster development project would be taken up at Kancheepuram, Arni, Rasipuram and Mannargudi.

MORE UNI