IMPHAL, April 10: A Craft-Based Resource Centre specialized in cane and bamboo a first of its kind in the country, has been inaugurated today at Women`™s Income Generation Centre (WIGC) complex, Thoubal Wangmataba.
The inaugural function was attended by B.B. Das, chief manager of State Bank of India, Imphal Secretariat Branch, as chief guest, T. Rollee Vareishim, Assistant Director (H), M&SEC, Imphal office of the D.C. (H), Ministry of Textiles, Government of India, as the functional president and K. Dinamani Singh, Investigator, Regional Office, Guwahati, office of the D.C. (H), Ministry of Textiles, Government of India, Th. Rajen Singh, Investigator, M&SEC, Imphal office of the Ministry of Textiles, H. Rahman, Deputy Manager, State Bank of India, Imphal Secretariat Branch, Imphal, were the guest of honour respectively.
While briefing to the media person secretary of the (WIGC) Indira Oinam said that it is the first time ever in the country that cane and bamboo resource centre is being open.
She said that the central government is enthusiastic in opening a craft based resource centre in cane and bamboo in Manipur for its quality products and availability of raw materials. Indira Oinam revealed that the initiative has been taken by the ministry of textile government of India. Moreover, the state bank of India is also another key sponsor financially supporting the initiative.
The centre is employing about 7600 wokers producing 11 items and the centre aims at empowering women especially widows and destitute women.
She lamented that so far there has been no help extended by the state government and asserted that the centre desires transportation support from the government.
Out of 82 artisans 5 were distributed with artisan credit cards of state bank of India during the inauguration function. Besides that resource centre in cane and bamboo crafts, credit lingkage block (SBI), productin block for cane and bamboo and raw material and machinery block for the resource centre were also inaugurated.
