Manipur Chief Minister Yumnam Khemchand Singh on Thursday, 5 November 2026, underscored the pivotal role of the handloom and handicrafts sector in powering the state's economic growth, safeguarding its cultural heritage, and generating livelihoods — and announced that the government is actively considering creating a full-fledged, standalone department exclusively for handloom, handicrafts, and textiles. The announcement came at the inauguration of the Manipur International Textile Expo (MANITEX) 2026 at Urban Haat, Nilakuthi, Imphal.

A New Department on the Horizon

Currently, handloom, handicrafts, and textiles function as a subsidiary of the Trade, Commerce and Industries Department. Chief Minister Khemchand Singh said the proposed upgrade to a dedicated, full-fledged department would provide greater institutional focus, deepen support for traditional artisans and weavers, and strengthen the promotion of Manipur's distinctive textile heritage at both national and international levels. The move, if implemented, would mark a significant structural shift in how the state government prioritises the sector.

MANITEX 2026: Weaving Tradition and Commerce

Organised under the theme 'Weave for Togetherness, Many Threads, One Manipur', the expo is designed to spotlight the state's rich handloom and handicraft traditions while creating a business-to-business and artisan-to-market platform. Weavers, artisans, designers, and entrepreneurs are among the stakeholders the expo aims to bring under one roof. At the event, Chief Minister Khemchand Singh also launched the MANITEX 2026 Official Mobile App and a coffee table book titled 'Exploring Manipur Textile Design'.

Awards, Schemes and Cluster Support

The Chief Minister distributed awards covering Crafts and Frame Looms and Accessories, construction of individual worksheds for weavers under the Imphal East Mega Handloom Cluster, and the Small Development Programme under the National Handloom Development Programme. He also directed concerned authorities to ensure that the benefits of Centrally Sponsored Schemes from the Union government reach Manipur's artisans effectively — signalling an intent to close the last-mile gap between policy and ground-level impact.

A Personal Connection to the Loom

In a candid moment, Chief Minister Khemchand Singh drew on his own upbringing, sharing that his mother was a weaver and that he had personally delivered yarn to the Kongba area of Imphal East. He said that firsthand experience had given him a deeper appreciation of the hard work and dedication the sector demands. He pushed back against the notion of stagnation, saying it would be incorrect to assume the sector had seen no progress, while calling for continued efforts to strengthen and expand opportunities for local artisans.

Officials and Dignitaries in Attendance

The inauguration was attended by Yumnam Joybala Devi, wife of the Chief Minister; Khongbantabam Ibomcha Singh, Chairman of Manipur Handloom and Handicrafts Co-operative Limited and MLA; MLAs Sapam Nishikant Singh and Sanasam Premchandra Singh; Chief Secretary Rajeev Singh Thakur; and Additional Chief Secretary Anurag Bajpai, along with senior state officials. The broad participation signals cross-departmental buy-in for the sector's elevation. With a dedicated department potentially on the horizon, the direction of Manipur's textile policy may be set to change fundamentally.