The Dhapewada Textile Udyog Producer Company Ltd building in Nagpur district will be inaugurated on October 17 by Union Textiles Minister Giriraj Singh and actor-turned-MP Hema Malini, in a push to expand production and livelihoods around Vidarbha’s traditional handloom sector.
The inauguration at Dhapewada will include a fashion show featuring models and the women who weave the region’s Karvatkathi tussar silk sarees. The event is intended to showcase the sarees and the local weaving community that produces them.
The company was conceptualised by Union minister Nitin Gadkari, whose hometown is Dhapewada, to support the area’s traditional weaving community. It has been providing women with handloom and weaving training, followed by opportunities to produce sarees and other textile products for income.
Sudhir Dive, one of the company’s directors, said the initiative was linked to Gadkari’s association with Dhapewada and his aim of creating sustainable livelihood opportunities for local weavers. Dive said work to support the traditional weaving industry gained momentum after Gadkari took charge of the MSME ministry in 2019.
“Women are given 45 days of handloom and weaving training, following which they can make sarees and other products to earn livelihood. We have completed 12 batches so far,” Dive said.
The unit currently has 50 active handlooms producing Karvatkathi sarees made from tussar silk. Each saree takes about 10 days to weave and weighs approximately 600 grams. According to Dive, the sarees have received a Geographical Indication tag, recognising their regional identity.
The company said the sarees would be made available to customers for Rs 400, although their market value is around Rs 10,000 to Rs 15,000. The supplied report does not provide further details on how the customer price is being determined or on the scale of planned distribution.
The new building covers 13,000 square feet and is expected to accommodate around 100 staff members. Beyond saree production, the company is seeking to expand the reach of handloom and handicraft products from Vidarbha.
A dedicated space for local handloom and handicraft products is also being developed on the third floor of the new Agrovision building at Jai Prakash Nagar. The October 17 inauguration will mark the formal opening of the Dhapewada facility and the accompanying public showcase of its woven products.
