CHENNAI: Work on setting up shuttleless powerloom weaving parks (SPWPs) at Palladam, Komarapalayam and Andipatti will be completed in next six months, according to Minister for Handlooms and Textiles V. Somasundaram.

Inaugurating a handloom exhibition-cum-sale here, he said the State Government had released Rs. 14 crores for infrastructure development in and around the sites.

Official sources said the Centre had accepted the proposals for the hi-tech parks and agreed to sanction Rs. 49.89 crore, including Rs. 13.68 crore for infrastructure development, as its share. The projects, together, were expected to generate around 4000 jobs.

Mr. Somasundaram the Government had obtained a certificate for registering Kancheepuram silk sarees under the Geographical Indication Act, to comply with the World Trade Organisation conditions.

As many as 3,000 new designs of handloom products have been introduced for this t festival season. `Kuntavai', a Cooptex silk-shirt design, was evolved from palm leaves found at the Saraswathi Mahal in Thanjavur. He said weavers' cooperative societies sold handloom goods worth Rs. 766 crore last year. Steps had been taken to increase it to Rs. 800 crore this year. Last year, the societies generated sales to the tune of Rs. 154 crore during Deepavali and Pongal. This year, the target was Rs. 170 crore.

Mr. Somasundaram said to promote sales, handloom exhibitions were held in 16 district headquarters. Expos were also conducted in women's colleges across the State.

He hoped that the sales targets would be achieved by showcasing products sporting designs developed with the help of the National Institute of Design and the National Institute of Fashion Technology. The Government had earmarked Rs. 50 lakh for generating designs.

A total of 377 cooperative societies had exported products worth Rs. 304.02 crores during 2004-2005.

Around 10 lakh sarees and two lakh dhotis will be distributed to the beneficiaries of the old age pension scheme during the festival season, the Minister said. The ongoing exhibition at the Loom World complex in Egmore will go on till October 30, he added.

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