New Delhi(PIB)8/3/17:On the occasion of International Women’s Day today, the Union Textiles Minister Smt. Smriti Zubin Irani has announced ‘Kamaladevi Chattopadhya National Awards’, a new category of awards specially for women handloom weavers and women handicraft artisans. Noting that only one woman has so far received the Sant Kabir Award, the Minister said that the awards are being instituted from this year, so that women weavers and artisans receive due recognition and economic benefits associated with the Awards. This will be a small tribute to recognise the craft excellence and hard work being put in by millions of women working in their homes, carrying forward the torch of India’s proud handloom and handicraft heritage. The Minister also launched a special campaign to provide MUDRA Loans to women handloom weavers all across the country. Smt. Irani said that more than 1,700 women weavers are being given such loans, to start the campaign. Five weavers received MUDRA loans from the Minister, on the occasion.
