Shillong, Dec 6: Union Minister of Textiles, Giriraj Singh, inaugurated the Integrated Textile & Tourism Centre (ITTC) at Nongpoh, Ri Bhoi district, on Saturday.
He also opened EKTA Meghalaya (Exhibition cum Knowledge Sharing for Textiles Advantage). The Union Minister was accompanied by Union Minister of State for Textiles, Pabitra Margherita, State Minister of Textiles Metbah Lyngdoh, MLA Nongpoh, Mayralborn Syiem, MLA Umsning Dr. Celestine Lyngdoh, senior officials, artisans, weavers and local stakeholders.
He announced the establishment of a new Weavers’ Service Centre (WSC) in Meghalaya, “In Guwahati, the Weavers’ Service Centre is a vital hub offering technical and design support to weavers. Right now, we have only one such Centre in the region. I will now set up one in every state – starting from Meghalaya, once land is allotted by the state government.”
Union Minister of State for Textiles, Pabitra Margherita, highlighted the significant presence of Northeast artisans on global platforms..
Minister of Textiles, Government of Meghalaya, Metbah Lyngdoh, expressed deep gratitude to the Ministry of Textiles for supporting the State’s aspirations. Describing the ITTC as a “historic and transformative project”
Frederick Kharkongor, Principal Secretary, Textiles, Government of Meghalaya and P. Sivakumar, Member Secretary, Central Silk Board also spoke.
During the programme, artisans, weavers and trainees showcased live demonstrations on reeling, spinning, natural dyeing, loom operations and value-added processes. A special highlight of the programme was the showcase of traditional Ryndia textiles by leading Meghalaya designers Iba Mallai and Daniel Syiem. Their collections celebrated eco-friendly weaving traditions, natural dyeing methods, and the rich cultural narratives of local artisans.
The Central Silk Board (CSB) under Ministry of Textiles in association with the Department of Textiles, Government of Meghalaya placed exhibition stalls during EKTA Meghalaya (Exhibition cum Knowledge Sharing for Textiles Advantage) at the Centre Nongpoh.
EKTA Meghalaya brings together Silk, Handloom, Handicrafts, Jute, and Technical Textiles on one platform, promoting knowledge sharing, innovation, market linkages, and inter-state collaboration.
The event was attended by senior officials from the Ministry of Textiles, Government of Meghalaya, Central Silk Board, local industry leaders, artisans, students and community representatives.
