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Union Minister of Textiles Shri Giriraj Singh, held a review meeting with the stake holders of Textiles, Handloom, Handicraft sector, Senior Officials of the Ministry, and the Export Promotion Councils at Chennai on 17 November, 2024. The Union Minister of Textiles also viewed the products stalls displayed during the meeting.
Dr. T R B Rajaa , Minister for Industries, Investment Promotions and Commerce, Govt. of Tamil Nadu had also joined the meeting and interacted with Union Minister of Textiles, and other stakeholders present in the meeting. He requested the Union Minister of Textiles to extend his support to the Tamil Nadu textile industry and the weavers of the state.
Smt. R. Lalitha, Director, Department of Textiles, Govt. of Tamil Nadu, Shri C. Muthusamy, Director (South Zone), Weavers Service Centre, Shri V. Lakshmi Narasimhan, Vice Chairman, Handloom Export Promotion Council (HEPC), Shri N. Sreedhar, Executive Director, HEPC, Shri. P. Gopalakrishnan, past Chairman, HEPC and President Karur Textile Manufacturer and Exporters Association , member exporters of Handloom Export Promotion Council (HEPC) from the region attended the meeting. Other senior officials from the State and Central Department of Textiles, Handloom, Handicraft and Textile institution and were also present in the meeting.
Shri Giriraj Singh , Hon'ble Union Minister of Textiles, Govt. of India discussed about Textiles, Handloom, Handicraft sector related issues with the officials , exporters present in the meeting.
During the meeting, the Minister of Textiles reviewed the benefits being extended to the industry through various central Government scheme for modernisation of Handlooms, the Raw material yarn subsidy scheme and PM mudra loan to weaver artisans etc.
Shri. Giriraj Singh, also advised the state Government to utilise the facility available in NIFT - VisioNEXT to create innovative design and trend forecasts. HMoT also emphasised the need to create Brand for various Handloom and Handicrafts products to scale up Exports.
The Union Minister also visited and inspected the National Institute of Fashion Technology (NIFT), a premier institute for design, management, and technology under the Ministry of Textiles, Government of India.
Shri Giriraj Singh’s visit to NIFT Chennai showcased the institute's commitment to nurturing excellence in fashion education and innovation. Welcomed warmly by the Director, Joint Director, faculty, and staff, he toured the campus to experience firsthand the vibrant academic and creative environment. During the visit, he interacted with the faculty members and several students, gaining insights into their innovative projects and achievements that exemplify the institute’s leadership in design education. He emphasised the importance of integrating industry experience into academic programs and highlighted the critical role of the textile industry in driving the country's economic growth.
NIFT Chennai is currently ranked 5th in the India Today survey and 4th in the Outlook survey among the top five fashion institutes in India. Additionally, NIFT Chennai has been accredited with the ISO 9001:2015 standard.
A highlight of Shri Giriraj Singh’s visit was his exploration of the cutting-edge ‘VisioNxt प्रयोगशाला,’ an initiative spearheaded by NIFT. Located at the Chennai campus, VisioNxt is a pioneering project supported by the Ministry of Textiles, dedicated to indigenous trend forecasting and research. By integrating artificial intelligence (AI) with emotional intelligence (EI), VisioNxt creates a dynamic system that enables businesses, designers, brands, and artisans to stay ahead of consumer trends. With significant accomplishments such as over 60 microtrend reports, India’s first AI Taxonomy book for Indian wear categories, and a database of more than 3,50,000 apparel images, the initiative solidifies India’s position as a global leader in trend forecasting. Additionally, VisioNxt has trained over 800 students in trend-spotting, equipping them with skills crucial for the future of Indian fashion research.
The Minister commended the transformative work being done at NIFT Chennai and VisioNxt, acknowledging their vital role in advancing India’s textile and fashion sectors. He also planted a sapling as part of the ‘Ek Ped Maa Ka Naam’ campaign in the campus.