Addressing a press conference on the eve of the national awards ceremony for master craftspersons and weavers of the country, Ghosh spelt out that the exports of handicrafts had gone up to Rs 7,072 crore in the year 1998-99 from Rs 2,543 crore in the year 1992-93. Correspondingly, the exports of handlooms went up to Rs 2,015 crore in the year 1998-99 from Rs 1,034 crore in the year 1992-93, he said.

Replying to questions the secretary disclosed that the Sathyam committee which has been set up to give recommendations on the new textile policy, has completed the voluminous task of travelling and is likely to submit its report by the end of next month.

The new textile policy would be finalised by the ministry afteranalysing the recommendations of the expert committee, he added.

Ghosh underlined the importance of the handicrafts and handloom sector in the country and stated that plan allocation for these sectors was more than 50 per cent of the plan allocation of the textile ministry. He also said that in the north east region, the ministry has been utilising more than the plan allocation for these sectors.

The ministry is pursuing a total package for the handloom sector which includes development of skills, through training, revival of languishing arts, development of new products, and new market development, Mr Ghosh said.

He also gave details of the various schemes such as the project package scheme, the workshed-cum-housing scheme and group insurance scheme which are being undertaken by the textile ministry for the welfare of the craftspersons and weavers and development of these sectors.

He disclosed that the 49 awardees who will receive the national awards from the prime minister tomorrow have beenselected through a rigorous three-tier selection process, which involves screening at the state level, headquarters level and the central level, through which there entries have been selected out of the total of 1,800 entries which were received for consideration of the committee.

Dwelling upon the issue of child labour in the textile industry, especially the carpet industry, the secretary said that child labour by definition is indentured labour whereas the children involved in the carpet industry in India have inherited the skills from their ancestors and are involved in their own family occupation.