Lok Sabha Question No. 1806 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2018-12-20
Subject: Welfare of Handloom Weavers
Ministry: TEXTILES
Asked by: ANJU BALA, Tejpratap Singh,Yadav

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 1806 TO BE ANSWERED ON 20-12-2018

## WELFARE OF HANDLOOM WEAVERS

## 1806.  SHRIMATI ANJU BALA: SHRI TEJ PRATAP SINGH YADAV:

## Will the Minister of TEXTILES वस्त्र मंरी

be pleased to state:

(a) whether the Government has taken note of difficulties faced by the handloom weavers and if so, the details thereof;

(b) the  details  of  the  funds  allocated,  released  and  spent  under  various  welfare  schemes  for handloom weavers during the last three years, State-wise;

(c) the details of achievements in providing marketing facilities to the weavers and the total number of weavers benefited during the said period, State-wise;

(d) whether the handloom weavers are facing competition from the powerloom and mill sectors; and

(e) if so, the steps being taken by the Government for welfare of the handloom weavers?

## उत्तर

## ANSWER

## वस्त्र राज्य मंरी ( श्री अजय टम्टा )

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

(a) & (b): The Government is aware of the difficulties faced by the handloom weavers and in order to  mitigate  their  problems,    the  Government  of  India  is  providing  them  financial  support  through  the following developmental and welfare schemes across the country:-

- (i) National Handloom Development Programme (NHDP)
- (ii) Comprehensive Handloom Cluster Development Scheme (CHCDS)
- (iii) Handloom Weavers' Comprehensive Welfare Scheme (HWCWS)
- (iv) Yarn Supply Scheme (YSS)

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.

Details of funds allocated and released to the implementing agencies under the above schemes in the last three years and the current year, till date is at Annexure-I.

(c): The details of marketing events sanctioned, funds released, the number of beneficiaries covered and  sales  generated  during  the  marketing  events  in  the  last  three  years  and  the  current  year  are  at Annexure-II.

(d) & (e): The  handloom  sector  is  unorganised  sector  and  mainly  located  in  rural  areas.    The handloom cloth is produced by hand on looms without the use of power/electricity etc.  Due to this, the productivity of handloom products is low compared to powerloom and mill sectors and hence the cost of production of handloom products is on the higher side in many cases.  On the other hand, the handloom products are known for their eco-friendliness, intricate and exquisite design, which cannot be replicated by powerlooms.   Under Handloom (Reservation of Articles for Production) Act, 1986, 11 items with certain technical specifications are reserved for exclusive production on handlooms.  The Act is being implemented by the Central and the State Government's enforcement agencies by way of carrying out powerloom  inspection  in  the  field.  The  Government  is  promoting  the  handloom  sector  through implementation of schemes mentioned in para (a).

Statement  referred  to  in  part  (a)  &  (b)  of    Lok  Sabha  Unstarred  Question  No.  1806  for  answer  on 20.12.2018

Details  of  Scheme-wise  funds  allocated  and  released  by  the  Government  of  India,  Ministry  of Textiles under various developmental & welfare schemes in the last three years and the current year (till date)

(Rs. in crore)

| SN   | Name of scheme                                    | 2015-16                | 2015-16               | 2016-17              | 2016-17               | 2017-18              | 2017-18               | 2018-19 Till date   | 2018-19 Till date     |
|------|---------------------------------------------------|------------------------|-----------------------|----------------------|-----------------------|----------------------|-----------------------|---------------------|-----------------------|
|      |                                                   | Funds allocated ( RE ) | Funds released/ spent | Funds allocated (RE) | Funds released/ Spent | Funds allocated (RE) | Funds released/ spent | Funds allocated     | Funds released/ spent |
| 1    | National Handloom Development Programme           | 135.83                 | 133.96                | 167.53               | 153.56                | 140.24               | 135.05                | 138.25              | 81.92                 |
| 2    | Comprehensive Handloom Cluster Development Scheme | 37.31                  | 37.26                 | 50.00                | 40.11                 | 32.50                | 31.82                 | 28.75               | 10.22                 |
| 3    | Handloom Weavers' Comprehensive Welfare Scheme    | 18.91                  | 18.61                 | 26.56                | 26.56                 | 25.00                | 24.98                 | 10.00               | 1.62                  |
| 4    | Yarn Supply Scheme                                | 321.96                 | 321.96                | 261.50               | 261.35                | 200.00               | 199.84                | 155.00              | 121.36                |
|      | Total                                             | 514.01                 | 511.79                | 505.59               | 481.58                | 397.74               | 391.69                | 332.00              | 215.12                |

Statement as referred to in part (c) of Lok Sabha Unstarred question No. 1806 for answer on 20-12-2018

Statement showing number of marketing events sanctioned, funds released, beneficiaries covered and sales generated under marketing events in the last three years and the current year (till date):

|   SN | Year                |   No. of marketing events sanctioned |   Funds released (Rs. in crore) | Beneficiaries covered   | Sales generated (Rs. in crore)   |
|------|---------------------|--------------------------------------|---------------------------------|-------------------------|----------------------------------|
|    1 | 2015-16             |                                  358 |                           15.12 | 408770                  | 250.00                           |
|    2 | 2016-17             |                                  181 |                           16.24 | 356750                  | 227.50                           |
|    3 | 2017-18             |                                  181 |                           26.04 | 376500                  | 245.06                           |
|    4 | 2018-19 (till date) |                                  125 |                           12.96 | 270000 (estimated       | 180.00 (estimated)               |

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