SOURCING HUB - Handloom Clusters – Part II - The Integrated Handloom Cluster Development Scheme helping the handloom clusters grow
( We had broadly defined the scheme in our earlier post, this one speaks more of the clusters in some detail.) The Pilot Scheme – The pilot scheme which can be replicated has been set up at various places and today there are 20 pilot projects. These are at Bargarh, Barabanki, Bhagalpur, Bijoy Nagar, Bijnore, Burdwan, Chirala, Gadag, Chanderi / Gwalior, Imphal, Kullu, Kurinjipadi, Madhavaram, Mubarakpur, Nadia, Sonepur, Thiruvannamalai, Trichy, Thiruvananthapuram and Varanasi. Spread across the country, the products in each of the cluster as diverse as it can get. The implementation agency which also looks at co-ordination is different in each of these clusters but what stands out is the range of products which have been developed exclusively in each of the sectors. Some of them so strong that it is used as a sourcing base by designers both Indian and International. For example Bargarh in Orissa though a traditional hot bed for ikkat and tie and dye, the products have been in...