Lok Sabha Question No. 2583 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2018-08-02
Subject: Handloom Weavers of Balaramapuram
Ministry: TEXTILES
Asked by: SHASHI THAROOR

## HANDLOOM WEAVERS OF BALARAMAPURAM

## 2583.  DR. SHASHI THAROOR:

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

- (a) the steps taken by the Government to ease the financial stress and the declining profits of Balaramapuram handloom weavers and spinners who are burdened by the competition from powerloom products and imports;
- (b) whether handloom camps, specialised credit facilities and similar schemes have been put in place in Balaramapuram to support the struggling weavers and attract younger generations into the profession;
- (c) if so, the details thereof and if not, the reasons therefor;
- (d) the efforts made by the Government for the welfare of Balaramapuram weavers who are suffering from health-issues due to strenuous manual labour, including the  efforts  to  ensure  that  they  are  made  aware  of  enhanced  health  insurance schemes;
- (e) whether special resources have been allocated to assist vulnerable groups such as widowed weavers, traditional  spinners,  and/or  those  forced  to  supplement  their income; and
- (f) if so, the details thereof and if not, the reasons therefor?

## उत्तर

## ANSWER वस्त्र राज्य मंत्री ( श्री अजय टम्टा )

## MINISTER OF STATE FOR TEXTILES (SHRI AJAY TAMTA)

- (a): The  Government  of  India,  Ministry  of  Textiles  is  implementing  following schemes  for  development  of  handlooms  and  welfare  of  weavers  across  the  country, including Balaramapuram in Kerala:
1. National Handloom Development Programme (NHDP)
2. Handloom Weavers' Comprehensive Welfare Scheme (HWCWS)
3. Yarn Supply Scheme (YSS)
4. Comprehensive  Handloom  Cluster  Development  Scheme  (CHCDS)  -  for  eight mega handloom clusters

Under  the above  schemes,  financial assistance is provided for  raw materials, purchase of looms and accessories, design innovation, product diversification, infrastructure development, skill upgradation, marketing of handloom products,  loan  at  concessional  rates  etc.  Besides,  the  Government  of India has reserved 11 textiles articles, including Sarees with technical specifications  for  exclusive  production  by  handlooms  under  The  Handlooms (Reservation of Articles for production) Act, 1985. Balaramapuram sareehas also been  registered  under  Geographical  Indications  Act.    05  Block  Level  Clusters, including  Kollayil  Cluster,  Thiruvananthapuram  district  have  been  sanctioned with a total project cost of Rs. 8.86 crore with GoI share of Rs. 8.63 crore and released Rs. 2.77 crore as first instalment.

(b) & (c): Credit  requirements  of  handloom  weavers  are  met  under  Weavers' MUDRA  scheme,  a  component  of  NHDP.  Under  the  scheme,  credit  is  provided  at concessional interest rate of 6% to the handloom weavers with margin money assistance upto Rs. 10,000 per weaver and credit guarantee for a period of 3 years.In Kerela, 324 weavers have been sanctioned Mudra loan worth Rs. 1.61 crorein last three years.

In order to attract younger generation into the handloom profession, provision has been made under NHDP for skill upgradation. MoU has been signed with NIFT, New Delhi to promote handlooms through fashion by introducing Handlooms in the course curriculum of Under-Graduate and Post-Graduate courses from academic session 201617.

During  7-17 th October  2017  and  19-24 th February  2018,  total  305Hastkala Sahyog  Shivirs,  including  09  Shivirs  in  Kerala  were  organised  in  various  handloom clusters to facilitate the handloom weavers for obtaining MUDRA loan, Yarn Passbooks, looms & accessories, enrol for NIOS and IGNOU courses etc.

(d) to (f): In order to address the health related issues of handloom weavers of the country,  including  weavers  of  Balaramapuram,  the  Government  of  India,  Ministry  of Textiles has been implementing Handloom Weavers' Comprehensive Welfare Scheme. Life  insurance  cover  to  handloom  weavers/workers  in  the  age  group  of  18-50  year  is provided  under  Pradhan  Mantri  Jivan  Jyoti  Bima  Yojana  (PMJJBY)  and  accidental insurance  cover  to  handloom  weavers/workers  in  the  age  group  of  18-50  years  is provided  under  Pradhan  Mantri  Suraksha  Bima  Yojana.  Closed  group  of  handloom weavers/workers  in  the  age  group  of  51-59  years,  which  are  already  enrolled  as  on 31.05.2017 under the Mahatma Gandhi Bunkar Bima Yojana (MGBBY) would continue to get cover under the converged MGBBY. The benefits of schemes are available to all the handloom weavers, including widowed weavers etc. Also, scholarship of Rs. 1200/per year per child upto 2 children is also provided to the handloom weavers.

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