My  Cabinet colleagues Shri Piyush Goyal ji, Narayan Rane ji, sister Darshana Jardosh ji, all friends from the industry and the world of fashion, all entrepreneurs and weavers associated with the vast tradition of handloom and khadi, all the dignitaries present here, ladies and gentlemen!

A few days back, Bharat Mandapam was inaugurated in a grand way. Some of you used to come here before and set up your stalls or tents. Today you must have seen the transformed nation here. And today we are celebrating National Handloom Day in this Bharat Mandapam. In this magnificence of Bharat Mandapam too, India's handloom industry plays an important role. This confluence of the ancient with the modern defines today's India. Today's India is not only vocal towards local, but is also providing a global platform to make it global. A short while ago, I got the opportunity to interact with some of our fellow weavers. From many Handloom Clusters across the country, our weaver brothers and sisters have come here from far and wide to be with us. I heartily welcome and greet all of you at this grand function!

Friends,

This month of August is the month of revolution. This is the time to remember every sacrifice made for freedom. The Swadeshi movement started on this day. This spirit of Swadeshi was not limited to the boycott of foreign clothes only. Rather, it was also a great motivator for our financial independence. It was also a campaign to connect the people of India with its weavers. This was a major reason why our government had decided to celebrate this day as National Handloom Day. Over the years, unprecedented work has been done for the weavers of India and the expansion of India's handloom sector. A new revolution has swept the country in terms of Swadeshi. Naturally one feels like talking about this revolution from the ramparts of the Red Fort especially when 15th August is just around the corner. But today countless weaver friends from all over the country have joined me. So my heart fills with immense pride as I talk about this success achieved by India due to their hard work right in front of them.

Friends,

Our clothes, our dressing style has been linked to our identity. There are different types of clothing styles and one can identify the region they belong to from their dressing style. That is, our diversity is our identity, and in a way this is also an opportunity to celebrate our diversity, and this diversity is first seen in our clothes. People come to know that there is something new or different by looking at the cloth. From our tribal brothers and sisters living in far flung areas of the country to those living around the snow-capped mountains, from the people living near the sea coast, to those in the deserts and the plains of India, we have a beautiful rainbow of clothing styles. And I had once made an appeal to list and compile this variety of clothing styles. Today, I am extremely happy to see that my request has come to fruition here in the form of the ‘Bhartiya Vastra Evam Shilp Kosh’ (Indian Textile Compendium).

Friends,

It is unfortunate that the textile industry, which was so robust in the past centuries, was not given enough attention or enough attempts were not made to revitalize it after independence. The situation was such that even Khadi was left in a dwindling condition. Earlier those wearing Khadi used to attract a disparaging look from the people. Since 2014, our government has been engaged in changing this situation and this mindset. I still remember, in the initial days of the Mann Ki Baat programme, I had requested the country to buy one or the other Khadi item. We are all witnesses to its results today. Khadi production has increased more than 3 times in the last 9 years. The sale of Khadi clothes has also increased more than 5 times. The demand for Khadi clothes is increasing in the country and abroad. I met the CEO of a very big fashion brand in Paris a few days ago. He also told me how the attraction towards Khadi and Indian handlooms is increasing abroad.

Friends,

Nine years ago, the business of Khadi and village industries was worth only around Rs 25 thousand crore, or Rs 30 thousand crore. Today it has reached more than one lakh thirty thousand crore rupees. In the last 9 years, the additional Rs 1 lakh crore that has flowed into this sector, where did this money go? This money has gone to my poor brothers and sisters associated with the handloom sector; this money has gone to the villages; this money has gone to the tribals. And as per NITI Aayog, 13.5 crore people have come out of poverty in India in the last 5 years and this sector has played its part in the task of bringing them out of poverty. Today, with the spirit of Vocal for Local, the countrymen are buying indigenous products wholeheartedly. It has become a mass movement. And I will make an appeal to all the countrymen once again. In the coming days, we will be celebrating festivals of Raksha Bandhan, Ganesh Utsav, Dussehra, Deepawali, Durga Puja. During these festivals, we have to reiterate our swadeshi resolution. And by doing this, we can help our artisans, our weaver brothers and sisters, and the people associated with the world of handlooms. When a sister ties a Rakhi on her brother's wrist during the festival of Rakhi, the brother makes the promise of protecting his sister, but if he presents her something made by a poor mother, then he is also protecting that mother.

Friends,

I am glad that the schemes launched by us for the textile sector are also becoming a major means of social justice. Today lakhs of people are engaged in handloom work in villages and towns across the country. Most of these people come from Dalit, backward sections and tribal society. In the last 9 years, the efforts of the government have not only given them jobs in large numbers, but their income has also increased. The benefits of the schemes related to electricity, water, gas connection, Swachh Bharat have also reached these sections of the society the most. And Modi has given them a guarantee of free ration. And when Modi gives a guarantee, his cooking stove will burn for 365 days. Modi has given them a guarantee of a pucca house. Modi has guaranteed them free treatment of up to Rs 5 lakh. We have ended the decades-long wait of our weaver brothers and sisters for basic amenities.

Friends,

Our government is trying to ensure that the traditions associated with the textile sector should not only stay alive but also attract the world in a new avatar. That's why we are laying emphasis on the education, training and earnings of the friends associated with this sector. We want to give wings to the aspirations of the children of weavers and artisans. For the skill training of the children of weavers, we are giving scholarships of up to Rs 2 lakh in textile institutes. More than 600 handloom clusters have been developed in the last 9 years. Thousands of weavers have been trained in these too. It is our constant endeavour to make the work of weavers easy, to ensure high productivity with better quality and ever-innovative designs. Therefore, computer operated punching machines are also being provided to them. This allows new designs to be created quickly. Weaving is also becoming easier with motorized machines. Many such equipment, many such machines are being made available to the weavers. The government is also providing raw material i.e. yarn to handloom weavers at concessional rates. The government also bears the cost of transporting the raw material. It has become possible for weavers to get loans without bank guarantee through Mudra Yojana.

Friends,

I have spent time with my fellow weavers over the years while living in Gujarat. Handloom has made a huge contribution to the economy of the entire Kashi region and I am the Member of Parliament from this region. I often meet them and talk to them. That's why I am aware of the ground realities. Our weavers had been facing a major challenge - they would make the product, but faced the problem of supply chain and marketing. Our government is trying to get them out of this problem as well. The government is also laying emphasis on marketing of handmade products. Every day a marketing exhibition is being organized in some or the other corner of the country. Similar to the Bharat Mandapam, exhibition venues are being constructed today in different cities of the country. Under this, besides the daily allowances, free stalls are also being provided. And today it is a matter of great joy that our youth, our new generation and the new startups are coming up with many new techniques, new patterns, new systems for its marketing for the products made from handlooms, handicrafts, and our cottage industry. And so I see a renewed interest in its future.

Today, under the One District One Product scheme, special products are being promoted in every district. Special stalls are also being set up at railway stations of the country for the sale of such products. In order to promote handicrafts and handloom products from every state and district, the government is also building an Ekta Mall. Ekta Mall will have handicraft products from that state under one roof. This will also be of great benefit to our brothers and sisters associated with the handloom sector. I don't know if any of you have had the opportunity to see the Statue of Unity in Gujarat, but there is an Ekta Mall built there. Products from every corner of the country made by the weavers and artisans of India are available there. So the tourist who visits the place also experiences unity and he can get access to any corner of India he wants. Efforts are underway to set up such Ekta Malls in all the State capitals of the country. How important are these things to us? When I go abroad as the Prime Minister, I have to take a gift for the dignitaries around the world. I make sure  that every gift I am presenting to the people around the world is something that all of you friends make. They are not only pleased but when I tell them that it was made by the people of such-and-such village, they get very impressed too.

Friends,

Efforts are on to ensure that our brothers and sisters in the handloom sector get the benefits of Digital India. You are already aware that the government has created a portal for buying and selling products – Government e-Marketplace i.e. GeM. On GeM, even the smallest artisan, craftsman, weaver can sell his goods directly to the government. A large number of weavers have taken advantage of this. Today, about 2 lakh organizations related to handloom and handicrafts are linked to the GeM portal.

Friends,

Our government is also working with a clear strategy to provide the world's biggest market to its weavers. Today, major companies around the world are coming forward to take the products of MSMEs, weavers, artisans and farmers of India to the markets across the world. I have had direct discussions with the leadership of many such companies. They have big stores, retail supply chains, big malls, and shops all over the world. Their potential is massive even in the online world. Such companies have now resolved to take the local products of India to every nook and corner of the world. Our Millets which are now known as Shri Anna, be it the food grains, or our handloom products will be taken to the markets across the world by these big international companies. That means the product will be from India; it will be made in India; it will hold the aroma of the sweat of the people of India but the supply chains will be of these multinational companies. And every person associated with this sector of our country is going to be highly benefited.

Friends,

In the midst of these efforts of the government, today I would like to say one thing to the friends from the textile industry and fashion world. Today, as we have taken steps to be among the top-3 economies of the world, we have to expand  the scope of our thinking and work. We want to make our handloom, our khadi and our textile sector world champions. But everyone's effort is necessary for the same. Be it a worker, a weaver, a designer or an industry, everyone will have to make dedicated efforts. You link the skill of the weavers of India with the scale. You connect the skill of the weavers of India with technology. Today we are seeing the rise of a neo middle class in India. A huge young consumer class is being created in India for every product. This is certainly a huge opportunity for textile companies in India. Therefore, it is also the responsibility of these companies to strengthen the local supply chain and invest in it. We should not support the mindset of importing ready-made goods from outside. Today, as we are commemorating the works of Mahatma Gandhi, once again we will have to take the resolve that we cannot resort to the approach of importing from other countries for our needs. This approach is not right. The stalwarts of this sector cannot make excuses as to how it will happen so soon, or how the local supply chain will be developed so quickly. If we want to reap the benefits in the future, then we have to invest in the local supply chain today. This is the way to build a developed India, and this is the way to fulfil our dream of a developed India, to fulfil the dream of a 5 trillion economy, and the dream of getting India among the top three economies of the world. And if we look at the emotional aspect, then by following this path, we will be able to fulfil the dreams of our freedom fighters; we will be able to make the dream of Swadeshi come true.

Friends,

And I firmly believe that Khadi is the cloth for the one with high dignity and pride, who is proud of himself and his country. But at the same time, the one who weaves the dream of a self-reliant India, who lays an emphasis on 'Make in India', for him this khadi is not just a garment, it is a weapon as well.

Friends,

Day after tomorrow is  August 9th. Today's date is associated with the Swadeshi movement, while August 9 had been a witness to one of the greatest movements of India. It was on August 9 that the Quit India Movement was launched under the leadership of Pujya Bapu. Respected Bapu had clearly told the British – Quit India. Shortly after this, such an atmosphere of awakening was created in the country that finally the British had to leave India. Today, with the blessings of respected Bapu, we have to move forward with the same willpower and it is the need of the hour. The mantra that could drive away the British can become a reason to drive away similar elements from here too. Today we have a dream, a resolve to build a developed India. However, some bad elements are creating obstacles in front of this resolution. That's why today India is telling these bad elements in one voice - Quit India. Today India is saying- corruption, quit India!. Today India is saying- Dynastic politics, quit India! Today India is saying- Appeasement politics, Quit India! These evils in India are posing a great danger for the country. There is also a major challenge for the country. I believe, we all will end and defeat these evils with our efforts. And then there will be victory for India; there will be victory for the country, and for every countryman.

Friends,

'15th August - Har Ghar Tiranga'. Today I also got a chance to meet those sisters who have been engaged in the work of making the tricolour flag in the country for years. I also got a chance to greet them and  talk to them. Just like the last time and every year to come, we have to take forward 'Har Ghar Tiranga' and when the tricolour is hoisted on the roof and it flutters, it flutters in the mind as well. Once again I wish you all a very Happy National Handloom Day. Thank you very much!

DISCLAIMER: This is the approximate translation of PM’s speech. Original speech was delivered in Hindi.

****

DS/VJ/IG/AK