Kishanganj, Bihar, Feb 09: Union textile minister Shahnawaz Hussain has laid the foundation-stone of the Indian Institute of Handloom Technology here yesterday. The proposed institute, to be built at an estimated cost of Rs five crore, would be the first of its kind in Bihar and fifth in the country after Salem, Varanasi, Guwahati and Jodhpur.
The Union finance ministry and the Planning Commission have already given their nod for the project. The institute would provide a three-year diploma course to a batch of 30 alumni's every year free of cost along with food, lodging and scholarship, the minister announced.
Earlier, formally inaugurating the Silk Kisan Mela, Shahnawaz Hussain criticised the RJD-led state government for its ''failure'' to improvise the basic needs like road and electricity and to create the infrastructure for the all round development of the state. He also dwelt upon the 'development mantra' of the BJP-led NDA government and counted how the entire face of Kishanganj district had been thoroughly transformed and revamped. Mr K.V. Benchamin, director, NSSP, B.P. Singh, additional development commissioner handloom and host of luminaries of Central Silk Board were present on the occasion.
Speaking on the occasion Mr Hussain reiterated how Central Silk Board, ministry of textile in tandem with sericulture department of Bihar government was jointly launching a project for the development of mulberry and sericulture in Kishanganj district, which had ushered in a new era of development and progress.
The project, besides, striving at poverty alleviation through additional employment generation, also worked on empowerment of weaker sections, specially women, he said.
Bureau Report