Lok Sabha Question No. 1067 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2020-02-07
Subject: Handloom Weavers
Ministry: TEXTILES
Asked by: Saikia Dilip, Ramesh Chander Kaushik

## LOK SABHA

## UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 1067 TO BE ANSWERED ON 07.02.2020

## HANDLOOM WEAVERS

## 1067.      SHRI DILIP SAIKIA:

## SHRI RAMESH CHANDER KAUSHIK:

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

- (a) the details of the welfare schemes currently being implemented by the Government for the handloom weavers in the country including Assam and Haryana;
- (b) the details of the funds allocated, released and utilised for the welfare of the handloom weavers during the period from the year 2017-18 and 2018-19, State, scheme and year-wise;
- (c) whether  the  Government  proposes  to  implement  some  other  programme  to  promote Assamese  culture  in  Haryana  and  North  Eastern  States  including  Assam  under  special provision; and
- (d) if so, the details thereof?

## उत्तर

## ANSWER

## वस्त्र मंरी ( श्रीमती स्त्म ृ तत ज़ू बिन इरानी )

MINISTER OF TEXTILES

(SMT. SMRITI ZUBIN IRANI)

- (a)  to  (d) For  welfare  of  weavers  and  development  of  handloom  sector,  the  Government  of India, Ministry of Textiles, is implementing following schemes across the country including in the States of Assam and Haryana:-
- 1) Handloom Weavers' Comprehensive Welfare Scheme (HWCWS)
- 2) National Handloom Development Programme (NHDP)
- 3) Comprehensive Handloom Cluster Development Scheme (CHCDS)
- 4) 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, lighting units, marketing of handloom products and loan at concessional rates.

## A. HANDLOOM WEAVERS' COMPREHENSIVE WELFARE SCHEME

Handloom  Weavers'  Comprehensive  Welfare  Scheme  (HWCWS)  is  providing  life, accidental and disability insurance coverage under the components Pradhan Mantri Jivan Jyoti  Bima  Yojana  (PMJJBY),  Pradhan  Mantri  Suraksha  Bima  Yojana  (PMSBY)  and Converged Mahatma Gandhi Bunkar Bima Yojana (MGBBY).

## B. NATIONAL HANDLOOM DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMME (NHDP)

- (i) 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.  The proposals are recommended by the State Government.
- (ii) 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.
- (iii) WEAVER MUDRA SCHEME: Under the Weaver 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.

## (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 to the supplier through Weavers' Service Centre.

## (v) 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.

- (vi) ' INDIA HANDLOOM' BRAND - During the celebration of 7th August 2015 as National  Handloom  Day,  'India  Handloom'  Brand  was  launched  by  Hon'ble Prime  Minister  for  branding  of  high  quality  handloom  products.  It  promotes production  of  niche  handloom  products  with  high  quality,  authentic  traditional designs with zero defect and zero effect on environment. Since its launch, 1333 registrations have been issued under 122 product categories and sale of Rs. 861.93 crore has been generated.

Initiatives with various leading brands has been undertaken to bring out a separate range of handloom garments in their brand.

- (vii) E-COMMERCE -  In  order  to  promote  e-marketing  of  handloom  products,  a policy  frame  work  was  designed  and  under  which  any  willing  e-commerce platform with good track record can participate in online marketing of handloom products.  Accordingly,  23  e-commerce  entities  have  been  engaged  for  on-line marketing  of  handloom  products.  A  total  sales  of  Rs.80.78  crore  has  been reported through the online portal.
- (viii) URBAN  HAATS are  set  up  in  the  big  towns/metropolitan  cities  to  provide adequate  direct  marketing  facilities  to  the  craft  persons/weavers  and  eliminate middle agencies.  38 such Urban Haats have been sanctioned across the country so far.

## C. COMPREHENSIVE HANDLOOM CLUSTER DEVELOPMENT SCHEME:

The  Comprehensive  Handloom  Cluster  Development  Scheme  (CHCDS)  is  targeted  at development of Mega Handloom Clusters in clearly identifiable geographical locations covering atleast 15000 handlooms with the Government of India (GoI) contribution upto Rs.40  crore  per  cluster  over  a  period  of  5  years.  Components  such  as  conducting diagnostic  study,  corpus  for  raw  material,  etc.,  are  fully  funded  by  the  Government  of India (GoI) whereas components like lighting units, technological up-gradation of looms and  accessories  are  90%  funded  by  the  GoI.    Other  components  such  as  creation  of infrastructure for design studio/ marketing complex/garmenting unit, marketing development, assistance for exports and publicity are 80% funded by the GoI.  08 Mega Handloom Clusters viz. Varanasi (Uttar Pradesh), Sivasagar (Assam), Virudhunagar(Tamil  Nadu),  Murshidabad  (West  Bengal),  Prakasam  &  Guntur  districts (Andhra  Pradesh),  Godda  &  neighboring  districts  (Jharkhand),  Bhagalpur  (Bihar)  and Trichy (Tamil Nadu) have been taken up for development.

## D. 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, wool and linen yarn with quantity caps.

Budgetary  allocation  of  funds  is  not  made  State-wise.    However,  indicative  physical targets are allotted to States and funds are released to the eligible handloom agencies based on viable proposals received and utilization of previous funds.  The details of scheme-wise funds allocated,  released/utilized  by  the  Government  of  India,  Ministry  of  Textiles  under  various welfare and developmental schemes during the year 2017-18 and 2018-19 is as under:-

(Rs. In crore)

|        |                                                   | 2017-18         | 2017-18                  | 2018-19         | 2018-19                  |
|--------|---------------------------------------------------|-----------------|--------------------------|-----------------|--------------------------|
| S. No. | Name of the Schemes                               | Funds allocated | Funds released/ut ilized | Funds allocated | Funds released/u tilized |
| 1.     | Handloom Weavers' Comprehensive Welfare Scheme    | 25.00           | 24.98                    | 10.05           | 02.06                    |
| 2.     | National Handloom Development Programme           | 140.24          | 135.05                   | 138.53          | 118.72                   |
| 3.     | Comprehensive Handloom Cluster Development Scheme | 32.50           | 31.82                    | 21.50           | 16.38                    |
| 4.     | Yarn Supply Scheme                                | 200.00          | 199.84                   | 155.41          | 126.84                   |
|        | Total:                                            | 397.74          | 391.69                   | 325.49          | 264.00                   |

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