Lok Sabha Question No. 2965 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2021-03-12
Subject: Job Guarantee Scheme for Handloom/Handicraft Weavers
Ministry: TEXTILES
Asked by: Rita Bahuguna Joshi

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 2965 TO BE ANSWERED ON 12.03.2021

## JOB GUARANTEE SCHEME FOR HANDLOOM/HANDICRAFT WEAVERS

## 2965. SHRIMATI RITA BAHUGUNA JOSHI:

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

(a) whether the Government is planning to implement 'Handloom Weavers and Handicraft Persons Job Guarantee Scheme' to provide assistance to the rural families living Below Poverty Line (BPL); and

(b) if so, the details thereof?

## उत्तर

ANSWER

## वस्त्र मंत्री ( श्रीमती स्मृतत ज़ूबिन इरानी )

MINISTER OF TEXTILES (SMT. SMRITI ZUBIN IRANI)

(a) & (b): No  Sir.  However,  the  Government  of  India,  Ministry  of  Textiles  is  implementing following  schemes  for  development  of  handlooms  and  handicraft  and  welfare  of  weavers  and artisans:

1. National Handloom Development Programme (NHDP);
2. Comprehensive Handloom Cluster Development Scheme (CHCDS);
3. Handloom Weavers Comprehensive Welfare Scheme (HWCWS);
4. Yarn Supply Scheme(YSS);
5. National Handicraft Development Programme (NHDP);
6. Comprehensive Handicrafts Cluster Development Scheme (CHCDS);

Under  the  above  schemes,  financial  assistance  is  provided  for  raw  materials,  purchase  of  looms, accessories  and  toolkits,  design  innovation,  product  diversification,  infrastructure  development, marketing of handloom and handicraft products, loans at concessional rates etc. across the country and  emphasize  integrated  approach  for  development  of  handloom  and  handicraft  in  a  holistic manner.

Apart from implementation of above schemes, following new initiatives have also been taken by the Ministry of Textiles for the benefit of handloom weavers: -

- i) The  handloom  weavers,  handicraft  artisans  and  exporters  from  different  corners  of  the country were connected virtually with international market.
2. ii) Social media campaigns are also organized in partnership with all stakeholders to promote handloom and handicraft legacy of India to ensure people's support for the community.  One such campaign #Vocal4handmade was launched on the 6 th National Handloom Day held on 7 th August 2020 and another one on the occasion of Diwali.
3. iii) Over 1100 Chaupals were organized in various States to educate the weavers and artisans to avail benefits of various handloom schemes for their welfare and socio-economic development.
4. iv) To promote e-marketing of handloom products, 23 e-commerce entities have been engaged for online marketing of handloom products.
- v) To support the handloom and handicraft sectors and to enable wider market for handloom weavers/artisans/producers, 1.77 lakh handloom weavers/entities and handicraft artisans have been  on-boarded  on  Government  e-Marketplace  (GeM)  for  supply  of  their  products  to Government Departments.
6. vi) To enhance productivity and marketing capabilities and ensure higher returns for handloom workers through collective efforts and pooling of resources, 117 handloom and 47 handicrafts producer companies have been formed in different States.
7. vii) Design Resource Centres have been set up in  Weavers' Service Centres (WSCs) at Delhi, Mumbai,  Varanasi,  Ahmedabad,  Jaipur,  Bhubaneswar  and  Guwahati  in  collaboration  with National  Institute  of  Fashion  Technology  (NIFT)  with  the  intent  to  build  and  create design-oriented  excellence  in  the  handloom  sector  and  to  facilitate  weavers,  exporters, manufacturers and designers in creating new designs and to take benefit of erstwhile-created designs.

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