The Union government has announced a major boost for the textile sector in the Northeast, with Union Textiles Minister Giriraj Singh confirming on Saturday, December 6 that a new Weavers’ Service Centre (WSC) will be set up in Meghalaya once the state government allocates land for the project. At present, the region has only one such centre, located in Guwahati.
The announcement was made during the inauguration of the Integrated Textile & Tourism Centre (ITTC) at Nongpoh in Ri-Bhoi district, where Singh also launched ‘EKTA’ Meghalaya, an Exhibition-cum-Knowledge Sharing platform aimed at strengthening the textile ecosystem. He said the upcoming WSC would provide weavers with design, technical and marketing support, enabling them to enhance skills and access larger markets.
Singh noted that the newly opened ITTC is designed as an integrated space for training, design innovation, silk processing, product diversification and textile tourism. According to the minister, the centre will help artisans tap national and international opportunities while promoting the region’s traditional weaving practices.
Underscoring the Union government’s focus on modernising the sector, Singh said several schemes are being implemented to upgrade weaving technologies, strengthen handloom clusters and promote natural fibres globally. Calling the Northeast the “pride of India’s textile heritage,” he reaffirmed the Centre’s commitment to fortifying every link of the textile value chain.
He also announced plans to boost Muga sericulture in Meghalaya and the wider Northeast, saying the government is exploring the possibility of increasing production from two to three Muga crops annually. With improved practices, Singh said, one acre of land could generate ₹4–5 lakh in income. He added that the Central Silk Board would partner with the Meghalaya sericulture department to drive the initiative.
Highlighting India’s position as the world’s only producer of all major silk varieties—Muga, Tasar, Mulberry and Eri—the minister said expanding Muga and Eri production in the Northeast would help India strengthen its leadership in natural silk, especially as several countries shift towards synthetic fibres.
Union Minister of State for Textiles Pabitra Margherita praised the rise of Northeast artisans on the global stage, citing the recent showcase of handwoven fabric from a remote Meghalaya village at BharatTex, one of the world’s largest textile exhibitions. He noted that 52% of India’s handlooms are located in the Northeast and announced that textile ministers from across the country will gather in Guwahati next month to draft a textile roadmap focused on the region.
Meghalaya Textiles Minister Metbah Lyngdoh described the ITTC as a transformative initiative that would empower artisans, revive traditional silk practices and position Nongpoh as a key textile-tourism destination. He said the centre, developed under the North East Regional Textile Promotion Scheme, has been envisioned as an artisan hub, a living textile museum and a space for innovation.
State Principal Secretary (Textiles) Frederick Kharkongor added that the facility marks a significant milestone in Meghalaya’s ongoing “textile renaissance.”
