Lok Sabha Question No. 3634 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2017-03-23
Subject: Small Textile Units
Ministry: TEXTILES
Asked by: ARPITA GHOSH

## SMALL TEXTILE UNITS

## 3634.  SHRIMATI ARPITA GHOSH:

Will the Minister of TEXTILES वस्त्र मंरी be pleased to state:

(a) whether the Government is taking any steps to assist small textile units or weavers in West  Bengal;

- (b)  if so, the details thereof; and

(c)    the  steps  taken by  the  Government to encourage textile industry in the country?

## उत्तर ANSWER वस्त्र      मंरी (श्री अज      ) MINISTER OF STATE FOR TEXTILES

## (SHRI AJAY TAMTA)

(a) & (b): The  weavers  in  West  Bengal  are  working  in  handloom  sector which comes under the unorganized/small scale sector. In handloom sector, under  National  Handloom  Development  Programme  (Block  Level  Cluster Programme), a component of National Handloom Development Programme (NHDP), financial assistance is provided for technology up-gradation, skillup-gradation, construction of workshed etc. for welfare of weavers.

The  details  of  funds  released  for  Block  Level  Cluster  under  National Handloom Development Programme is given as under:-

|   Sl. No. | Name of State   | Year of sanction Block Level Cluster   |   No. of Block Level Cluster |   Funds released (Rs. in lakh) |   No. of beneficiaries |
|-----------|-----------------|----------------------------------------|------------------------------|--------------------------------|------------------------|
|         1 | West Bengal     | 2015-16                                |                            1 |                          39.56 |                    505 |
|         1 | West Bengal     | 2016-17                                |                            3 |                          67.41 |                   2110 |

(c): In  order  to  encourage  textile  sector  the  government  has  launched  various  Policy initiatives and schemes such as  in the handloom sector, National Handloom Development Programme is being implemented for development of the sector and welfare of handlooms weavers is being promoted through Handloom  Weavers Comprehensive Scheme, Comprehensive  Handloom  Cluster  Development  Scheme,  Health  Insurance  Scheme, Mahatma  Gandhi  Bunkar  Bima  Yojana  and  Yarn  Supply  Scheme  etc.  These  schemes ensure  regular  supply  of  basic  raw  material  to  the  handloom  sector  and  help  utilize  the employment potential of the sector.

Under the  National  Handicrafts  Development  programme  (NHDP),  raw  material depots  are  setup  to  facilitate  easy  availability  of  quality  and  graded  raw  material  to artisans/  entrepreneurs/  units  at  a  reasonable  rates.  Other  schemes  such  as  Ambedkar Hastshilp  Vikas  Yojna,  Design  &  Technology  Upgradation,  Marketing  and  Support Services, Research and Development, Human Resource Development, Welfare Schemes and  assistance  for  creation  of  Capital  Infrastructure  are  implemented  for  the  overall development of Handicraft Sector and welfare of Handicrafts Artisans.

The government announced special package for Garments and Made-ups with the components of Enhanced Duty Drawback Coverage/ Rebate of State Levies (ROSL) on Export  of  Garments/  Made-ups;  Additional  incentives  under  Amended  Technology Upgradation Scheme(ATUFS)/ Scheme for production and Employment Linked Support for  Garmenting  Units(SPELSGU);  Employee  Provident  Fund  Scheme  Reform/  Pradhan Mantri  Paridhan  Rojgar  Protsahan  Yojana  (PMPRPY);  Reforms  in  Labour  Laws  for increasing overtime caps and introduction of Fixed Term Employment; Enhancing scope of section 80JJAA of Income Tax Act.

The  government  has  introduced  Amended  Technology  Upgradation  Scheme (ATUFS) for technology upgradation of the textile industry with one time capital subsidy for  eligible  machinery.  In  order  to  provide  infrastructure  support,  the  government  has initiated the Scheme for Integrated Textile Parks (SITP) and sanctioned 66 textile parks on pan India basis as of now. Scheme for Integrated Textile Processing Development (IPDS) has  been  formulated  for  Textile  Processing  Sector,  Technology  Mission  on  Technical Textiles  (TMTT)  has  been  launched  with  additional  components  like  Scheme  for Promoting  Usage  of  Agrotextiles  in  India  and  setting  up  of  Focus  Incubation  Centers (FIC), for strengthening the decentralized powerloom segment, schemes like In-situ Upgradation of Plain Powerloom; Group Workshed Scheme (GWS) and Modified Comprehensive Powerloom Cluster Development Scheme  (MCPCDS) have been launched.

*****