New Delhi, Feb 16 : Union Textiles Minister Shankersinh Vaghela will lay the foundation stone of "Handloom Marketing Complex" here tomorrow. The new marketing complex, exclusively for the handloom fabrics from various parts of India, is being set up on 1.779 acres of land at Janpath, New Delhi.

It will be built at a cost of Rs. 42.00 crores and will have double two bay basement parking space so as to provide a conducive atmosphere for shoppers.

The complex will start functioning tentatively by October 2010.

The complex will house products from some of the best handloom producing organizations such as Handloom House Co-optex, APCO, CCIC and other reputed organizations.

It will also have space for a Dilli Haat type atmosphere wherein weavers from throughout the country will be invited for a 14 days period to exhibit their fabrics and sell their products.

Besides this, there will be a restaurant, conference hall and other facilities.

The handloom sector is the second largest employment generating sector in India, next only to agriculture, employing about 65 lakh people, out of which about 60 per cent are women.

Therefore, the contribution of handwoven textiles to employment, textile production and export earnings is significant not only from an economic angle but also from a social angle. (ANI)