Dhapewada silk is being positioned for global markets under a proposed expansion that could increase production, introduce new garments and create employment for up to 5,000 women in the Nagpur region, Union minister Nitin Gadkari said at the inauguration of a new building for Dhapewada Textile Producer Udyog Company Ltd on Saturday.
Gadkari said the initiative, which began in 2021 as a social enterprise involving 400 women, was intended to revive a traditional weaving industry that had been declining in Nagpur. He said his ambition was to develop Dhapewada silk as a distinct brand and see it exported internationally, including being showcased at Cannes in France.
The enterprise has developed the capacity to manufacture premium Tussar silk sarees and is preparing to increase production, according to Gadkari. It has also developed organic colour printing capabilities and is exploring artificial intelligence to reduce the time required to produce a saree from 10 days to six.
The proposed expansion could extend beyond sarees. Gadkari said the initiative was considering dhotis, jackets and other garments, while Hema Malini, actor and Mathura MP, suggested adding salwar kameez and contemporary clothing to reach a wider customer base. She described the Karvatkathi sarees associated with the initiative as distinctive and said India’s weaving traditions needed to be preserved and promoted.
Gadkari linked the initiative to the decline of Nagpur’s earlier handloom economy. He said Gandhibagh, once known for its busy handloom market, had fallen silent, while members of the Halba community, traditionally associated with weaving, were finding it difficult to continue in the occupation. He also recalled earlier government schemes that supported sarees, dhotis and cooperative societies but said those initiatives had eventually faded.
Union textiles minister Giriraj Singh said the Dhapewada initiative could become a significant development for India’s handloom sector. He announced an aim for every weaver to earn between Rs20,000 and Rs30,000 a month within a year, although the report did not provide details of the mechanism, funding or implementation framework for reaching that target.
Singh said the textile ministry was working with IIT Delhi on real-time monitoring of production processes and the use of artificial intelligence to minimise errors and improve efficiency. He also said the textile sector had generated employment for five crore people over the past 12 years.
The expansion plan also includes a proposed role for tribal communities in Gadchiroli, who Gadkari said could be involved in silk breeding and thread production. Maharashtra textiles minister Sanjay Savkare said a fashion show had been organised to promote Dhapewada’s Karvat Kathi weaving tradition and give greater visibility to locally manufactured sarees. The next steps described at the event are increased production, product diversification, technology adoption and wider promotion of Dhapewada silk.
