ITANAGAR, 30 Sep: In a bid to promote the indigenous handloom and handicraft products of the state, the Government of Arunachal Pradesh will establish a ‘unity mall’ at Donyi-Polo Airport, Hollongi, where all tribes’ products will be integrated, Chief Minister Pema Khandu announced on Tuesday.
The CM said this after inaugurating an artisan-cum-handicraft exhibition centre in Chimpu. The exhibition, themed ‘Crafts connect Arunachal (handlooms & handicrafts) 2025’, aims to promote and showcase the rich handicraft products of the state while providing artisans with a platform to connect with wider markets.
Emphasizing the importance of locally made products, the CM advised the people of the state to preserve and promote local products, adding that the government would provide assistance through various schemes under the Vikshit Bharat Abhiyan.
The CM applauded the Itanagar Smart City Development Corporation Limited (ISCDCL) for constructing the centre, and the Water Resource Department for allocating a plot of land for the establishment of the centre, which will provide a platform to showcase the rich potential of the artisan-cum-handicraft centre, and promote handloom, handicrafts, and other indigenous crafts of Arunachal by empowering local artisans, promoting rural livelihoods, and celebrating the diverse cultural expressions of the state.
Informing that the state has already received geographical indication (GI) tags for more than 10 products, Khandu expressed hope that the number of GI-tagged products would rise to 50 in the days to come.
“To achieve more GI tags of our products, collective efforts should be made,” he said, and urged the departments concerned to create awareness among local artisans and producers about the benefits and opportunities of obtaining GI certification.
He further advocated wearing local attires on various occasions to preserve the traditional identities and cultures of the state’s indigenous tribal people.
Speaking on the occasion, Urban Affairs Minister Balo Raia expressed gratitude to the executing agency for constructing the centre on time.
Besides cultural promotion, artisan empowerment and community engagement, the centre will also facilitate, on a rental basis, indoor sports events such as boxing, table tennis, wrestling, karate, MMA, etc, besides private marriage parties, literary events,small-scale trade expos, conference, etc.
The event is an initiative of the ISCDCL, in collaboration with the Arunachal State Rural Livelihoods Mission, the Textile & Handicrafts and Industries Department, etc.
Besides Raja, Information & Public Relations Minister Nyato Dukam, MLA Techi Kaso, Chief Secretary Manish Kumar Gupta, and others were also present on the occasion.
