Employees of the Directorate of Handloom and Textiles staged a protest at the Directorate complex at Lamphel, opposing the proposed appointment of a Manipur Civil Service (MCS) cadre officer as Director of the department.
The protesting staff, including employees from district-level Handloom and Textiles offices, said the move could undermine the technical nature of the department and adversely affect efforts to promote and develop Manipur’s handloom and handicrafts sector.
The employees carried placards opposing the appointment and later took out a protest march after holding a gathering at the Directorate complex.
Soibam Heramani of the District Handloom Office, Kakching, said the Handloom and Textiles department was earlier under the Commerce and Industries Department. However, recognising the importance of handloom and textiles to Manipur’s economy, culture and identity, the government created a separate Directorate of Handloom and Textiles in 2016.
He said the Directorate is a technical department requiring specialised knowledge and experience, and argued that its administration should be headed by an officer with technical expertise in the sector.
The employees expressed concern that appointing an MCS cadre officer as Director could weaken the department’s technical functioning and affect policies aimed at supporting handloom and handicraft workers.
They also alleged that several initiatives intended to benefit handloom workers and preserve traditional livelihoods could be adversely affected if technical expertise is not given adequate importance in decision-making.
The protesting employees demanded that a technically qualified officer with adequate experience in the field be appointed as Director and urged the competent authority to reconsider the proposed appointment.
They warned that the protest would continue until their demand is addressed.
