National Handloom and Handicraft Conference Begins in Bhubaneswar

The Office of the Development Commissioners (Handlooms and Handicrafts), under the Ministry of Textiles, will organize the National Handloom and Handicraft Conference in Bhubaneswar, Odisha, from October 31 to November 1, 2025. The two-day event will see participation from senior officials of all states and union territories, along with representatives from the handloom and handicraft sectors.

The key objective of the conference is to deliberate on the challenges and opportunities in the handicraft sector and discuss the framework of new government schemes. The upcoming policy aims to enhance state participation and bring major reforms in the administrative structure of the sector.

The inaugural session will feature Manoj Ahuja, Chief Secretary of the Odisha Government, as the Chief Guest, and Anu Garg, Development Commissioner and Additional Chief Secretary (Planning and Convergence), as the Guest of Honour.

Textiles Secretary Neelam Shami Rao will inaugurate the session titled “New Schemes for the Handloom and Handicraft Sector – A Transformational Approach” on the first day and address the session on “Governance Reforms and Structural Transformation” on the second day.

Other key participants include Dr. M. Beena, Development Commissioner (Handloom); Amrit Raj, Development Commissioner (Handicrafts); and Poonam Guha Tapas Kumar, Commissioner-cum-Secretary (Handloom, Textiles & Handicrafts), Government of Odisha.

The conference aims to create a collaborative platform for dialogue, policy formulation, and partnership among stakeholders to ensure that weavers and artisans across India benefit effectively from government initiatives and reforms.