The union ministry for textiles is all set to launch its cluster development scheme across five districts of Uttar Pradesh to impart training to weavers so that they can compete on international platform.

The programme is expected to offer a boost to handloom weavers of the region. Six to eight clusters will be formed in each of the five districts, including Barabanki, Varanasi, Bijnore, Azamgarh and Amroha with each cluster comprising of 300 to 500 weavers.

Designers from leading institutes such as National Institute of Design (NID) will impart training to the weavers to improve designs, while marketing entrepreneurs will offer them knowledge on market trends. This training will start after identifying the clusters, by the ministry’s office of development commissioner for handlooms.

Deputy director (processing) at the office of development commissioner for handlooms A.K. Shukla said that there are more than a dozen districts in the state where various handloom products are weaved.

But products manufactured here don’t witness demand in the international market as the weavers are still recreating old designs without bringing any improvement into it, in spite of having abundant manpower and raw material.