The Sri Lankan government has appointed a special task force to advice on a viable model to provide boost to the island’s handloom sector, said Rishad Bathiyutheen, Sri Lankan Minister of Industry and Commerce.

He said the taskforce to suggest a viable public-private partnership (PPP) model for developing the prospects of the Sri Lankan handloom sector.  The taskforce has been mandated to manage a capacity building program, which will see 100,000 more skilled people joining the industry, within the next three years.

The Sri Lankan handloom sector provides employment to around 2,970 weavers operating out of 511 weaving centres. The installed base of handlooms is around 10,000.