Union Textiles Minister Giriraj Singh on Sunday, 31 May 2026, highlighted the story of Smt. Thaobi Devi, a traditional handloom weaver from Manipur, crediting the Ministry of Textiles' Bishnupur Cluster Development Programme with transforming her livelihood through the provision of a modern frame loom.

Context

In his post, the Minister wrote: 'मणिपुर की पारंपरिक बुनकर श्रीमती थौबी देवी जी के हौसले और कड़ी मेहनत ने आत्मनिर्भरता का एक नया अध्याय लिखा है' ('The courage and hard work of Manipur's traditional weaver Smt. Thaobi Devi has written a new chapter of self-reliance'). He noted that the modern 'frame loom' provided under the cluster programme had not only raised her monthly income to new heights but also connected her skills to larger markets.

Singh concluded with a call to action: 'Let us together honour the unique skill of our country's weavers,' framing women's empowerment as the 'true identity of a Viksit Bharat' (developed India). The post was tagged with #VocalForLocal, #EmpoweringWomen, #HandloomWeavers, #ManipurCrafts, and #MinistryOfTextiles.

Policy Backdrop

The Bishnupur handloom cluster in Manipur is supported under the central government's cluster-based handloom development framework, whose lineage traces to the Integrated Handloom Cluster Development Scheme introduced during the 11th Five Year Plan. The National Handloom Development Programme, launched in 2015, further consolidated these efforts by providing technology support, skill upgradation, and market linkages to weavers across the country.

The Northeast has been a particular focus of these interventions, given the region's deep-rooted weaving traditions and the predominantly women-led nature of its handloom workforce. Providing modern equipment such as frame looms is a central pillar of the ministry's technology upgradation strategy, aimed at improving productivity without displacing traditional craft identity.

Stakeholders and Impact

Women artisans in Manipur and the broader Northeast constitute the primary beneficiaries of cluster development programmes. By connecting individual weavers like Thaobi Devi to larger markets through organised clusters, the ministry aims to reduce dependence on middlemen and improve net income at the household level.

The Vocal for Local and Atmanirbhar Bharat frameworks have provided political and policy momentum to such initiatives, positioning handloom products as symbols of cultural identity with viable commercial futures. Buyer-seller meets and e-commerce linkages have been used alongside equipment support to widen market access for cluster beneficiaries.

What's Next

The Ministry of Textiles is expected to announce the next round of cluster programme expansions and buyer-seller meets in the coming months. Allocations for handloom modernisation in the forthcoming Union Budget will be closely watched by weaver communities and industry stakeholders as an indicator of the government's continued commitment to the sector.

The spotlight on individual beneficiaries such as Thaobi Devi signals a broader communications strategy by the ministry to document and publicise ground-level outcomes of cluster schemes, reinforcing the government's narrative around inclusive, women-led economic growth in India's textile heartlands.