Lok Sabha Question No. 1206 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2017-02-09
Subject: Suicide by Weavers
Ministry: TEXTILES
Asked by: FEROZE VARUN GANDHI

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO.1206 TO BE ANSWERED ON 09.02.2017

## SUICIDE BY WEAVERS

## 1206.   SHRI FEROZE VARUN GANDHI:

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

(a) whether the number of suicides committed by weavers is on the rise in the country;

(b) the number of suicides committed by the members of weaving community during the last three years and the current year, year-wise; and

(c) the steps taken by the Union Government  to provide relief from indebtedness of weavers?

## उत्तर

## ANSWER

## वस्त्र मंरी ( )

MINISTER OF TEXTILES (SMT. SMRITI ZUBIN IRANI)

(a) & (b): No  such  report  has  been  received  from  any  State  Governments about suicide by handloom weavers.

(c): In order to provide relief from indebtedness of weavers, Government has implemented  Revival,  Reform  and  Restructuring  (RRR)  package  Handloom Sector.  The package, inter-alia, included waiver of overdue loan & interest of Apex  &  Primary  Weavers  Coop.  Societies  and  individual  weavers  across  the country  and  provided    for  concessional  loan  towards  their  re-capitalization. The coverage of the eligible Apex/Primary Weavers Cooperative Society/Individual  weavers,  has  been  completed  on  28.2.2014.    A  total  of 39  Apex,  9642  Primary  Weavers  Cooperative  Society  (PWCS),  6310  SHGs & 54226 weavers have been covered under the package with financial implication of Rs.1089.90 crore.  To ensure easy access to subsidized credit from banks to those  handloom  weavers  and  PWC  societies,  not  covered  under  the  RRR package, the Government approved a new component of 'Institutional Credit for handloom  sector'  in  December,  2011  by  modifying  the  said  scheme  which provided margin money assistance @ Rs.4200 per weaver, 3% interest subsidy on  loans  extended  by  bank  with  credit  guarantee    on    such    loans    for 3  years.    Under  the  revised  Concessional  Credit  Component  of  National Handloom  Development  Programme  the  interest  subvention  is  capped  at  7%. Status  of  Weavers  Credit  cards  (WCCs)  and  the  amount  sanctioned/  disbursed during the last three years is as under:-

## (Amount in lakh)

| Particulars            |   2012-13 |   2013-14 |   2014-15 |   2015-16 |
|------------------------|-----------|-----------|-----------|-----------|
| Nos. of WCC issued     |  53629    |   71643   |   79210   |   48282   |
| Loan amount sanctioned |  17141    |   19428.8 |   23353.2 |   14711.9 |
| Loan amount disbursed  |   7983.13 |   14679.5 |   10068.8 |   10714.1 |

Now,  MUDRA  platform  has  been  adopted  for  providing  concessional credit  to  handloom  weavers  and  weaver  entrepreneurs,  Weavers  MUDRA Scheme is being implemented to cover all handloom weavers for providing the facilities of MUDRA loans to all eligible, non-defaulters and willing handloom weavers.      A  total  of  14985  MUDRA  loans  worth  Rs.79.78  crore  have  been sanctioned during current financial year 2016-17 (up to 31.01.2017).

In addition, Government of India through Ministry of Textiles is implementing  the  following  schemes/programmes  for  over  all  development  of Handloom Sector and Welfare of Weavers  throughout the country:-

1. National Handloom Development Programme.
2. Handloom Weavers' Comprehensive Welfare Scheme.
3. Yarn Supply Scheme.
4. Comprehensive Handloom Cluster Development Scheme.

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