Lok Sabha Question No. 1849 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2019-11-29
Subject: Traditional Weavers of North Eastern States
Ministry: TEXTILES
Asked by: Abdul Khaleque

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO.1849 TO BE ANSWERED ON 29.11.2019

## TRADITIONAL WEAVERS OF NORTH EASTERN STATES

## 1849.  SHRI ABDUL KHALEQUE:

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

- (a) whether the Ministry  has  any schemes for the development of traditional weavers from the North Eastern States, if so, the details thereof;
- (b) the details of the funds allocated for the same; and
- (c) the  proposals  of  the  Government  to  promote  the  textiles  of  North  East  India outside the region and globally?

## उत्तर

## ANSWER

## वस्त्र मंरी ( श्रीमती स्मृ तत ज़ूबिन इरानी )

MINISTER OF TEXTILES (SMT. SMRITI ZUBIN IRANI)

- (a): Government of India has been implementing various handloom schemes for the development of handloom weavers throughout the country including North East States. Details of the schemes inter-alia are :
1. National Handloom Development Programme (NHDP)
- (i) Education  of  handloom  weavers  and  their  children: Ministry  of  Textiles  has signed  Memorandums  of  Understanding  with  Indira  Gandhi  National  Open University  (IGNOU) and National Institute of Open Schooling (NIOS) to secure educational facilities for the weavers and their families.  NIOS offers Secondary and  Senior  Secondary  level  education  with  specialized  subjects  on  design, marketing,  business  development,  etc.  through  distance  learning  mode  for handloom  weavers,  whereas  IGNOU  offers  continuing  education  programs through accessible and flexible learning opportunities relevant to the aspirations of handloom weavers and their children for career progression.

Ministry  of  Textiles  is  providing  reimbursement  of  75%  of  the  fee  towards admission to NIOS/IGNOU courses in case of SC, ST, BPL, and Women learners belonging to handloom weavers' families.

- (ii) Weaver  MUDRA  Scheme: Under  the  Weavers'  Mudra  Scheme,  credit  at concessional interest rate of 6% is provided to the handloom weavers.  Margin money  assistance to a maximum  of  Rs.10,000 per weaver  and  credit guarantee  for  a  period  of  3  years  is  also  provided. MUDRA portal has  been developed  in  association  with  Punjab  National  Bank  to  cut  down  delay  in disbursement of funds for margin money and interest subvention.
- (iii) Block  Level  Cluster Introduced  in  2015-16  as  one  of  the  components  of National  Handloom  Development  Programme  (NHDP).  Financial  assistance upto Rs.2.00  crore  per  BLC  for  various  interventions  such  as  skill  upgradation, Hathkargha  Samvardhan  Sahayata,  product  development,  construction  of workshed,  project  management  cost,  design  development,  setting  up  of common  facility  centre  (CFC)  etc.  is  provided.  Besides,  financial  assistance upto Rs.50.00 lakh is also available for setting up of one dye house at district level.
- (iv) Hathkargha Samvardhan Sahayata (HSS): Hathkargha Samvardhan Sahayata (HSS)  was  introduced  on  1st  December  2016  with  an  objective  to  provide looms/accessories to the weavers to enhance their earnings through improved productivity and quality of the handloom products. Under the scheme, 90% of the  cost  of  loom/accessory  is  borne  by  the  Government  of  India  while remaining 10% is borne by the beneficiary. The Government of India's share is released directly  in  the  Bank  account  of  the  beneficiary  through  designated agency.
- (v) Handloom  Marketing  Assistance is  one  of  the  components  of  National Handloom Development Programme.  In order to provide marketing platform to  the  handloom  agencies/weavers  to  sell  their  products  directly  to  the consumers,  financial  assistance  is  provided  to  the  States/eligible  handloom agencies  for  organising  marketing  events  in  domestic  as  well  as  overseas markets.

## 2. Handloom Weavers' Comprehensive Welfare Scheme:

Handloom  Weavers  Comprehensive  Welfare  Scheme  (HWCWS)  is  providing Life, accidental and disability insurance coverage to handloom weavers/workers  under  the  components  Pradhan  Mantri  Jivan  Jyoti  Bima Yojana(PMJJBY), Pradhan Mantri Suraksha Bima Yojana (PMSBY) and Converged Mahatma Gandhi Bumkar Bima Yojana (MGBBY).

## 3. Comprehensive Handloom Cluster Development Scheme

The  Comprehensive  Handloom  Cluster  Development  Scheme  (CHCDS)  is implemented for development of Mega Handloom Clusters covering atleast 15000 to 25,000 handlooms and financial assistance as GoI share from Rs.40.00 to Rs.70.00 crore is in a period of 5 years.  8 mega handloom clusters taken up as announced in the Budgets i.e. Varanasi, Sivasagar (2008-09), Virudhunagar, Murshidabad (2009-10), Prakasam & Guntur districts and Godda & neighboring districts (2012-13), Bhagalpur & Trichy (2014-15).

Under the scheme, components like conducting Diagnostic Study, engaging Designer,  Product  Development,  Corpus  for  raw  material,  Construction  of Worksheds  (for  BPL/SC/ST/Women  weavers),  Skill  up-gradation  etc.  are  fully funded by Government of India, while the components like Technology upgradation,  Design  Studio,  including  the  Computer  Aided  Design  System, Marketing  Complex,  Value  Addition  (setting  up  of  garment  unit),  Common Infrastructure, Publicity etc., are funded by the GOI to the extent of 80%.

## 4.       Yarn Supply Scheme:

Yarn  Supply  Scheme is  being  implemented throughout  the  country  to  make available all types of yarn at Mill Gate Price. The scheme is being implemented through  National  Handloom  Development  Corporation.    Under  the  Scheme freight  is  reimbursed  and  depot  operating  charges  @2%  is  given  to  depot operating agencies.  A component of 10% price subsidy also exists on hank yarn,  which  is  applicable  on  cotton,  domestic  silk  and  woollen  yarn  with quantity caps.

The  Government  of  India  is  providing  subsidy  to  the  handloom  sector  to encourage handloom weavers with the following components:-

- (i) 90% subsidy for purchase of looms & accessories.
- (ii) 10%  price  subsidy  on  cotton,  domestic  silk,  woollen  and  linen  yarn  in  hank form with quantity restitutions.
- (iii)  75% subsidy towards fee for beneficiaries belonging to SC/ST, BPL and  women weavers for admission to NIOS and IGNOU courses.
- (iv)  10% subsidy in the form of marketing incentive on average  sales of handloom agencies for the last three years, of which 5% is borne by the Centre and 5% by the State.
- (v)  MUDRA Loan at subsidized interest rate of 6% for a period of 3 years.

(b): The amount  allocated to North Eastern Region during last 3 years and current financial year is as under:-

|   S.No | Year    |   Amount Allocated (Rs. in Crore) |
|--------|---------|-----------------------------------|
|      1 | 2016-17 |                             31    |
|      2 | 2017-18 |                             32.73 |
|      3 | 2018-19 |                             32.5  |
|      4 | 2019-20 |                             47    |

(c): To promote the handloom textile products of the country including those of North Eastern  region  in  domestic  market  as  well  as  international  market,  Govt.  of  India  is providing financial assistance to the States/eligible handloom agencies for organising/participation  in  marketing  events  in  India  and  overseas  as  well.  These exhibitions provides marketing platform to the handloom agencies/weavers to sell their handloom textile products directly to the consumers.

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