Giriraj Singh highlights Manipur weaver Nakhuru's rise via NHDP
Synopsis
Union Textiles Minister Giriraj Singh on 24 May 2026 highlighted Manipur weaver Nakhuru Ji's success under the NHDP, noting her monthly income reached ₹9,000 after receiving a frame loom and design training — framing skill development and targeted support as the foundation of rural artisan empowerment.
Key Takeaways
Union Textiles Minister Giriraj Singh shared the success story of Nakhuru Ji , a woman weaver from Manipur , on 24 May 2026 .
Nakhuru Ji received a frame loom under the National Handloom Development Programme (NHDP) , along with training in new designs and colours.
Her monthly income rose to ₹9,000 as a result of improved product quality and higher market demand.
The NHDP is the Ministry of Textiles' flagship scheme for loom upgradation and skill development, with a focus on northeastern states where weaving is a primary livelihood.
The post was framed under Vocal for Local , Make in India , and Atmanirbhar Bharat messaging, reflecting the government's broader artisan welfare policy arc.
Union Textiles Minister Giriraj Singh on Sunday, 24 May 2026, spotlighted the success story of Nakhuru Ji, a woman weaver from Manipur, crediting the National Handloom Development Programme (NHDP) for transforming her livelihood through modern loom technology and design training.
Context
Posting in Hindi, Giriraj Singh wrote: 'मणिपुर की बुनकर नखुरू जी ने अपनी मेहनत और आधुनिक तकनीक के मेल से सफलता की नई कहानी लिखी है' — 'Manipur's weaver Nakhuru Ji has written a new story of success by combining hard work with modern technology.' The minister highlighted that a 'frame loom' provided under the NHDP, alongside exposure to new designs and colours, had raised her monthly income to ₹9,000 and made her self-reliant.
The post, tagged with #VocalForLocal, #Handloom, #EmpoweringWomen, and #MakeInIndia, was accompanied by an image, amplifying the government's messaging around artisan welfare and domestic manufacturing.
Policy Backdrop
The National Handloom Development Programme is the Ministry of Textiles' flagship scheme for upgrading traditional looms, funding skill development, and linking weavers to wider markets. Manipur, a northeastern state with a centuries-old handloom tradition, has a weaving sector dominated largely by women, making it a priority geography under such central schemes.
The Make in India initiative, launched in September 2014, provides the broader policy umbrella under which handloom promotion and local artisan support are positioned. The twin messaging of Vocal for Local and Atmanirbhar Bharat (self-reliant India) has reinforced the government's push to raise rural artisan incomes while building domestic demand for handwoven textiles.
Stakeholders and Impact
Women weavers in Manipur and across rural India form the core beneficiary group of NHDP interventions. For many households in the northeast, handloom weaving is the primary source of income, and technological upgradation — such as the shift to frame looms — is seen as a lever to improve both productivity and product quality.
Nakhuru Ji's case, as presented by the minister, illustrates the intended arc of the programme: a government-supplied tool combined with design and colour training translating into higher market demand and a measurable rise in monthly earnings. Giriraj Singh concluded his post with a broader principle: 'The right support and skill development are the true foundation of rural weaver empowerment.'
What's Next
The Ministry of Textiles is expected to continue profiling NHDP beneficiaries as part of its outreach ahead of key handloom policy reviews. Observers will watch for updated data on loom distribution targets and income-assessment surveys covering Manipur and other northeastern states.
With parliamentary scrutiny of textile welfare schemes ongoing, individual success stories such as Nakhuru Ji's are likely to feature in ministry communications as evidence of on-ground impact — and may inform the next round of NHDP budget allocations.
Point of View
Using a single beneficiary's story to validate the NHDP's on-ground impact at a time when the government is keen to demonstrate returns on its handloom investment in the northeast. Manipur's weaving sector carries both economic and cultural weight, and profiling a woman artisan aligns neatly with the ministry's dual mandate of livelihood support and women's empowerment. The ₹9,000 monthly income figure, while modest, serves as a concrete, shareable metric in a policy space where outcomes are often abstract. Expect similar beneficiary profiles to surface as the government builds its pre-budget and parliamentary record on textile welfare delivery.
NationPress
9 Jul 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the NHDP and how does it help weavers?
The National Handloom Development Programme (NHDP) is a Ministry of Textiles scheme that supplies upgraded looms, funds skill training, and helps weavers access wider markets. In Nakhuru Ji's case, an NHDP-provided frame loom and design training raised her monthly income to ₹9,000.
Who is Nakhuru Ji from Manipur?
Nakhuru Ji is a woman weaver from Manipur highlighted by Union Textiles Minister Giriraj Singh as a beneficiary of the NHDP. Her story was shared on 24 May 2026 to illustrate the programme's impact on rural artisan livelihoods.
What did Giriraj Singh say about Manipur weavers?
Giriraj Singh said that Nakhuru Ji had written a new story of success by combining hard work with modern technology, and that the right support and skill development are the true foundation of rural weaver empowerment.
How does Make in India relate to handloom weavers?
Make in India, launched in September 2014, provides the broader policy framework under which handloom promotion sits. It encourages domestic manufacturing and local value chains, including handwoven textiles produced by artisans such as those in Manipur.
Why does the central government focus handloom schemes on northeastern India?
Northeastern states like Manipur have a long-established handloom tradition where weaving is a primary livelihood, especially for women. Central schemes such as the NHDP target these regions to raise artisan incomes and preserve traditional textile heritage.
