Published on March 13, 2021
Ahmedabad: PM Narendra Modi on Friday launched a slew of events and initiatives in Ahmedabad, with one of the major initiatives to get a place of prominence was the Aatmanirbhar Incubator, which will be run by the Sabarmati Ashram Preservation and Memorial Trust (SAPMT) in association with the government of India.
Kartikeya Sarabhai, trustee of SAPMT, said the focus of the initiative is to sustain and revive lesser-known traditions involving ‘old world’ cotton and wool. “Right from the British Raj, the focus is on more profitable or industry-fit crops of cotton. But there are many pockets of India that sustain unique traditions, and the incubator aims to revive them,” he said.
Government officials claim that the initiative can reach 40,000 families – ranging from farmers and artisans working with types such as hill cotton in Andhra Pradesh and Ghummad cotton in Gujarat.
Sarabhai said Gujarat has a history of such conservation. “The kala cotton of Khamir was revived with cultivation to ginning process in place. The model can be replicated across geographies and as it is close to the Ashram’s mission, we will be part of the initiative along with the GoI,” he said.
The initiative, which is likely to start inducting artisans soon, will also provide industry interface and mentorship, added officials.
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