Successful handloom revival project set for expansion

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Koothuparamba: A novel project to revive the handloom sector here has become popular in a short span, encouraging authorities to promote it in other districts of the state.
‘A loom in every household’ project, which is being implemented by Mangattidam panchayat with the support of Kudumbashree, has achieved success, prompting the Kerala State Handloom Development Corporation to expand it newer markets.
A proposal in this regard has been finalised by its chairman K P Sahadevan and managing director K Sudheer after studying the Mangattidam project.
Weaving was a thriving traditional vocation in many villages of Kannur in the past. However, this low-income sector later collapsed, forcing traditional weavers to seek other jobs. Weaving was subsequently restricted to cooperative societies and single-loom ventures carried out with the support of Hanveev, as the Handloom Development Corporation is popularly known after its brand name.
Mangattidam panchayat prepared a project with the support of Kudumbashree to provide a means of self-employment for women in the handloom sector.
It envisaged providing training in weaving for 200 women. As many as 186 women have already completed the training and another batch is now undergoing the course.
Looms have been delivered by Hanveev to 120 women who successfully completed the coaching with the backing of Mangattidam panchayat and Koothuparamba block panchayat. Two women who received training from a subcentre opened by Hanveev at Kuttippuram, Mangattidam, are now distributing yarn spools, collecting cloth and paying wages for the work done.
With the project becoming successful within a year of its launch, members of Kudumbashree units from other panchayats are reaching Mangattidam to learn more about the initiative, said panchayat president K Praseetha.
Hanveev hopes to replicate the Mangattidam initiative in other districts along with finding new markets for the handloom products.