The former Crafts Council of India head on why the Handloom Reservation Act of 1985 should be made sacrosanct. Speculation that the government plans to amend the handloom Act, which lists goods and textiles reserved for production by traditional craftsmen and weavers and incentives offered to them, has raised consternation in the sector. The speculation comes in the backdrop of efforts by the powerloom lobby to get parity with the handloom sector, which has called on the government to implement the Act in its original spirit. Veteran crafts and design expert Ashoke Chatterjee , former executive director of Ahmedabad-based National Institute of Design and ex-president of the Crafts Council of India, spoke about issues related to handlooms.

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