Union Textiles Minister Giriraj Singh inaugurates Skill Development Programe at Begusarai

Patna, Bihar – 11th April 2025: Giriraj Singh, Minister of Textiles, Government of India, inaugurated the Skill Development Program on Water Hyacinth at Lakhanpur, Begusarai today. The inauguration ceremony was attended by prominent dignitaries including Surender Mehta, Sports Minister Govt. of Bihar; Kundan Kumar, MLA, Begusari, Raj Kumar Singh, MLA, Matihani; Keshav Sandilya, Sr. Leader BJP; Rudal Roy, District President, JDU; Rajeev Kumar Verma, District President, BJP; Amrit Raj, Development Commissioner (Handicrafts), Ministry of Textiles; Avinash Kumar, DPM, Jeevika Begusarai; Rajesh Rawat, Addl. Executive Director, EPCH along with senior officers of Govt. of India, industry leaders, artisans and media representatives.

In his address, Giriraj Singh said “The inauguration of this Skill Development Program on Water Hyacinth at Begusarai holds special significance, as it brings together two critical goals: empowering our artisans through skill development and promoting sustainability in our craft practices. We will not restrict this initiative only in Begusarai, after successful completion of the project we will replicate this initiative in other part of Bihar and county as whole”.

Minister further added that “I would like to express my heartfelt appreciation to the Export Promotion Council for Handicrafts (EPCH) for organizing this program and for their continuous efforts in uplifting the handicrafts sector with the support from the O/o Development Commissioner (Handicrafts), Ministry of Textiles, Govt. of India as this initiative, aimed to train above 200 artisans in the craft of water hyacinth. It is an exemplary step toward harnessing the potential of eco-friendly materials while providing our artisans with new opportunities for growth”

Minister urged women participants to embrace this initiative and help create various household and decorative articles from this very important sustainable raw material which is in abundance in the state of Bihar. He also urged the entrepreneurs of Bihar to handhold the artisan in taking their products to the markets both in India and overseas.

Amrit Raj, Development Commissioner (Handicrafts), Ministry of Textiles, said that “this initiative for which we are present today focuses on promoting sustainable raw materials for handicraft production. She informed that O/o DC (Handicrafts) has roped in M/s Creative Bee as technical partners and EPCH as implementing partners for this initiative. I hope that EPCH will continue such efforts, fostering entrepreneurship, boosting sales, and expanding both domestic and overseas markets in the future. Water hyacinth, which has long been regarded as an invasive species and a threat to aquatic ecosystems, is being transformed into a valuable resource through this innovative program. By utilizing this material to create sustainable handicrafts, we are addressing environmental challenges while simultaneously unlocking new economic possibilities for our artisans”.

Dileep Baid, Chairman, EPCH, said that “the launch of this unique skill program will provide training to above 200 artisans, equipping them with the necessary skills to work with water hyacinth, a material that holds immense potential for the handicrafts industry. Through this program, we aim to transform a once problematic weed into an opportunity for artisans to create sustainable, eco-friendly handicrafts. This not only addresses environmental challenges but also presents a new avenue for income generation for our artisans”. He further added that “by equipping artisans with new skills, we are not only preserving our rich cultural heritage but also helping them become self-reliant and contributing to the ‘Atmanirbhar Bharat’ vision of our nation”.

Rajesh Rawat, Addl. Executive Director, EPCH said that “in last six months this is the second program which EPCH is conducting under the guidance of Union Minister of Textiles Giriraj Singh, the first being opening of EPCH office at Patna and through our continuous efforts in close association with O/o DC (Handicrafts) today we are here inaugurating this skill development initiative. We extend our sincere gratitude to Minister towards to his continuous support to EPCH towards taking various skill development, capacity building and export promotion initiatives in the state of Bihar”.

EPCH serves as the nodal agency for promoting the export of handicrafts from India to various global destinations, projecting India as a reliable supplier of high-quality handicrafts. In the financial year 2023-24, handicraft exports reached Rs. 32,758.80 crore (US $ 3,956.46 million), registering a growth of 9.13% in rupee terms and 6.11% in dollar terms compared to the previous year. The exports of handicrafts from Bihar are around Rs. 30 crores in 2023-24 informed by R. K. Verma, Executive Director, EPCH.