Union Textiles Minister Giriraj Singh on Friday, June 19, 2026, spotlighted Smt. Thanjam Devi, a weaver from Manipur, as a symbol of self-reliance achieved through government-backed skill development and modern loom access, sharing her story on X to underscore the human impact of the Ministry of Textiles' outreach programmes.

Context

In his post, Giriraj Singh wrote — 'मणिपुर की बुनकर श्रीमती थानजाम देवी जी अपने परिश्रम और सरकारी सहायता के बल पर आत्मनिर्भरता की नई मिसाल बन रही हैं' ('Manipur's weaver Smt. Thanjam Devi is becoming a new example of self-reliance through her hard work and government support'). He noted that access to modern looms and skill-development training had increased her production and income, enabling her to reach larger markets. The minister concluded with a rallying line: 'सशक्त बुनकर, समृद्ध भारत' — 'Empowered weavers, prosperous India.'

Manipur has a centuries-old handloom tradition rooted in Meitei and tribal communities, and the state's weavers are among the most recognised in the northeastern region for their distinctive textile styles.

Policy Backdrop

The story of Thanjam Devi sits within the framework of the Atmanirbhar Bharat Abhiyan, launched by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in May 2020, which directed economic support toward local manufacturing, MSMEs, and artisan communities including handloom weavers. The Ministry of Textiles has since channelled these priorities through the National Handloom Development Programme and cluster development schemes that supply modern looms and training to weavers across states.

The Vocal for Local campaign, referenced in the minister's hashtags, has consistently framed artisan welfare as both an economic and cultural imperative, pushing for market linkages that allow small producers to access buyers beyond local haats and state emporiums.

Stakeholders and Impact

For Manipur's handloom community — which includes thousands of home-based weavers, predominantly women — government interventions that combine equipment upgrades with skill training represent a potential shift from subsistence weaving to viable small enterprise. The Ministry of Textiles has repeatedly cited the northeast as a priority zone for handloom welfare, given the region's high density of traditional weavers and the cultural significance of its textiles.

Wider market access, a point specifically highlighted by Giriraj Singh, addresses one of the sector's persistent bottlenecks: artisans with high-quality output but limited distribution reach. Digital platforms and government-organised buyer-seller meets have been among the mechanisms used to bridge this gap.

What's Next

Attention will now turn to whether the Ministry of Textiles scales such interventions through enhanced budget allocations in the next Union Budget and through parliamentary accountability on artisan income data. The minister's public amplification of individual success stories like that of Thanjam Devi signals continued political investment in weaver welfare as a visible policy deliverable. Progress reports on handloom cluster schemes and any expansion of modern-loom distribution programmes in the northeast will be closely watched by industry bodies and artisan welfare groups.