Lok Sabha Question No. 4243 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2019-12-13
Subject: Handloom Sector
Ministry: TEXTILES
Asked by: Saptagiri Sankar Ulaka, Chandra Sekhar Sahu, Ramesh Chandra Majhi, Manjulata Mandal

- (a): Yes, Sir.

(b): GST has been introduced by the Government of India to rationalize multiple taxes on goods & services  and  to  bring  transparency  in  the  taxation  system.  Accordingly,  it  is  applicable  to  the  Textile sectors  also,  including  handlooms.  Turnover  of  most  of  the  weavers  does  not  exceed  Rs.40  Lakh  and hence  they  do  not  require  registration  under  GST.  Moreover,  GST  is  implemented  through  an  Act  of Parliament with States as equal partners in GST Council with Government of India. GST is applicable on each stage of the value chain i.e. cotton fibre, yarn and fabric @ 5% with facilities of input credit.

The Government of India, Ministry of Textiles has implemented Health Insurance Scheme (HIS) on  the  pattern  of  Rashtriya  Swasthya  Bima  Yojana  (RSBY)  upto  March,  2018  for  handloom  workers. The RSBY was implemented by the Ministry of Health & Family Welfare (MoH&FW) for all workers. With the launch of Ayushman Bharat - Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (AB-PMJAY) on 23.09.2018, RSBY has been subsumed in it.

The  Scheme  provides  healthcare  facilities  upto  Rs.5.00  lakh  per  family  to  around  10.74  crore poor and vulnerable families. All such beneficiary families under Rashtriya Swasthya Bima Yojana that do  not  figure  in  the  targeted  groups  as  per  SECC  data  are  also  covered  under  PMJAY.  AB-PMJAY covers deprived families in rural areas and families of workers of identified occupational categories in urban areas, as per the Socio-Economic Caste Census (SECC) -2011 database.

(c): The Office of the Development Commissioner for Handicraft under the Ministry of Textiles is having a Centre viz. Handicrafts Service Centre at Bhubaneshwar.  There is no proposal to open new Centre at Bhubaneshwar and Koraput.

(d) & (e): Funds  for  ongoing  projects  are  released  on  receipt  of  progress  of  the  project  and utilisation of previous funds.

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## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO.4243 TO BE ANSWERED ON 13-12-2019

## HANDLOOM SECTOR

## 4243. SHRI SAPTAGIRI SANKAR ULAKA: SHRI CHANDRA SEKHAR SAHU: SHRI RAMESH CHANDRA MAJHI: SHRIMATI MANJULATA MANDAL:

Will the Minister of TEXTILES वस्त्र मंरी

be pleased to state:

- (a) whether  the  Government  is  aware  of  the  role  of  textile  and  clothing  industries  in  growth  and development of the country;
- (b) whether the Government has considered exempting Goods and Services Tax (GST) for handloom sector and health insurance scheme for the benefit of weavers, if so, the details thereof;
- (c) whether the Government is considering to set up a Regional Office of Development Commissioner  (Handicrafts)  at  Bhubaneswar  and  an  Office  of  Asstt.  Director  at  Koraput  in  view  of handicraft potential of the State;
- (d) whether the Government is also considering to release the pending amount of   Rs. 4 crore for completion of craft village project at Raghurajpur in Puri district in Odisha; and
- (e) if so, the details thereof and the progress achieved in this regard?

## उत्तर

## ANSWER वस्त्र मंरी ( श्रीमती स्मृ तत ज़ू बिन इरानी )

MINISTER OF TEXTILES (SMT. SMRITI ZUBIN IRANI)