Minister of State (Textiles), Panabaka Lakshmi and Textile Secretary, Rita Menon have claimed that the well-known Bhadohi-Mirzapur carpet belt had been liberated from the clutches of child labor.
The Minister said that child workers are no longer employed for the carpet manufacturing process in the Bhadohi-Mirzapur belt. She added that the name of Bhadohi handwoven carpet was removed from the US list of industries as child labor was used in it.
The textile ministry was seeking to promote the skill of children by imparting the training of carpet weaving to children at the school level. This would check the practice of child labor and enable skill development among the children. The textile ministry had taken up several measures for skill development among the already trained workers.
Rs 229 crore had been extended by the textile ministry for the progress of carpet manufacturing belts in Bhadohi and Srinagar. The minister had been expecting a significant number of foreign customers to buy these carpets. She added that about 400 foreign customers were expected to turn up at the carpet expo.
The Carpet Export Promotion Council (CEPC) had organized the carpet expo and it had been the largest trade fair of handwoven carpets, rugs and floor coverings to draw foreign customers from various countries. A variety of old-fashioned, recent as well as contemporary Indian handmade carpets from various parts of the country such as Mirzapur, Bhadohi, Varanasi, Jaipur, Panipat and Kashmir have been showcased at the expo.
More than 240 manufacturers and exporters from all corners of India had reserved a stand area of 6,000 square meters to display their products at the expo. Around 370 customers from various countries of the world had registered their names and were likely to visitthe carpet expo.
Fibre2fashion News Desk-India
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