Lok Sabha Question No. 3113 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2019-12-06
Subject: Registered Handicraft Units
Ministry: TEXTILES
Asked by: Naba (Hira) Kumar Sarania

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 3113

## TO BE ANSWERED ON 06/12/2019

## REGISTERED HANDICRAFT UNITS

## 3113. SHRI NABA KUMAR SARANIA:

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

- (a) the number of registered handicraft units along with the number of people employed directly and indirectly in it in different States and UTs including Assam;
- (b) the details of facilities being provided to promote these units by the Government;
- (c) the details of Textiles Workers  Rehabilitation Fund  along with the  number  of beneficiaries thereunder in the States including North-Eastern States;
- (d) the details of Handloom Cluster Development Scheme indicating the schemes being run by  the  Government  for  promoting  Handlooms  of  North-Eastern  States  along  with  the arrangements for marketing their products; and
- (e) the  details  of  assistance  provided  to  different  Non-Governmental  Organizations  of North-Eastern States for promoting handlooms?

## उत्तर

## ANSWER वस्त्र मंरी ( श्रीमती स्मृ तत ज़ूबिन इरानी )

MINISTER OF TEXTILES (SMT. SMRITI ZUBIN IRANI)

- (a) & (b): The total number of Handicrafts units/establishment in different states and UTs including Assam is 18.7 lakhs. These establishments provided employment to 42 lakh persons. The  Government  of  India  implements  various  schemes  for  upliftment  and  development  of handicrafts artisans through National Handicraft Development Programme(NHDP) and Comprehensive  Handicrafts  Cluster  Development  Scheme  (CHCDS)  to  emphasize  integrated approach  for  development  of  handicraft  cluster  in  a  holistic  manner.  Following  are  the components of NHDP and CHCDS:

## National Handicraft Development Programme :

- i) Base Line Survey & Mobilization of Artisans under Ambedkar Hastshilp Vikas Yojana,
2. ii) Design & Technology Upgradation
3. iii) Human Resource Development
4. iv) Direct Benefit to Artisans
- v) Infrastructure and Technology Support
6. vi) Marketing Support & Services
7. vii) Research & Development

## Comprehensive Handicrafts Cluster Development Scheme:

- i) Mega Cluster
2. ii) Integrated Development and Promotion of Handicrafts Projects(Special Projects)

(c): Government of India had introduced a Scheme Viz. Textile Workers Rehabilitation Fund Scheme (TWRFS) with effect from 15.09.1986 to provide relief to the workers, who are rendered jobless due to permanent closure  of  Non-SSI  Textile  Mills  in  private  sector,  which  are  eligible  as  per  the  guidelines under the Scheme. The said scheme is not applicable to the Handicraft and Handloom artisans & weavers and  therefore,  no  payment  is  released  to  Handicraft  and  Handloom  artisans  &  weavers  under  the  said scheme.

Moreover, TWRFS has been merged with the Rajiv Gandhi Shramik Kalyan Yojana (RGSKY) of Ministry  of  Labour  and  Employment  and  discontinued  TWRFS  w.e.f  01.04.2017.  Workers  rendered jobless can avail benefits under the above scheme, subject to eligibility.

(d): The  Government  of  India  is  implementing  the  various  schemes  for  development  of handlooms  and  welfare  of  handloom  weavers  across  the  country  including  North  Eastern States.  Details of schemes being implemented for handloom weavers of North Eastern Region are:-

- i) Cluster Development Project of Handloom under North East Textiles Promotion Scheme (NERTPs) aims to develop handloom  sector in NER  by providing the required government  support  to  achieve  increase  in  employment  and  value  of  handloom products by means of improvement in design capability, diversification of product lines and  value  addition,  cluster  development  and  improvement  in  labour  productivity through  various  interventions  such  as  baseline  survey,  diagnostic  study,  formation  of self-help groups/joint liability groups, formation of consortium, awareness programmes, engagement of designer, computer aided textile design etc.
2. ii) Under Block Level Cluster component 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.
3. iii) Under Marketing Promotion of NER Handloom Products marketing platform is provided to  handloom  producers/weavers  through  organising  expos  to  sell  the  handloom products directly  to  the  consumers.  Weavers  are  able to  get  continuous  employment and improve their livelihood. 38 Urban Haats have been sanctioned across the country for  promoting  sales  of  handloom  products.  Of  which,  3  Urban  Haats  have  been sanctioned,  one  each  in  Manipur,  Nagaland  and  Tripura.  The  achievement  of  market promotion under NERTPS for the last 3 years and current years are as under:-

| Sl. No.   | Financial year   |   Total expos sanctioned | Fund released including Committed Liabilities (Rs. in crore)   |
|-----------|------------------|--------------------------|----------------------------------------------------------------|
| 1.        | 2016-17          |                      8   | 4.27                                                           |
| 2.        | 2017-18          |                     19   | 5-33                                                           |
| 3-        | 2018-19          |                     12   | 1.97                                                           |
| 4-        | 2019-20          |                      1.3 | 3-33                                                           |

## IV) 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 (Assam)(2008-09), Virudhunagar, Murshidabad (2009-10), Prakasam &  Guntur  districts  and  Godda&  neighbouring  districts  (2012-13),  Bhagalpur  &Trichy (2014-15).

- (e): The  following  NGOs  have  been  provided  financial  assistance  under  Block  Level  Cluster component of National Handloom Development Programme (NHDP) during the last three years and current year:

|   SN | Name of the NGO                                                                                       |   Funds released (Rs. In Lakh) |
|------|-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|--------------------------------|
|    1 | M/s Dili Valley Society, Yachuli, Loswer, Subhansiri, Arunachal Pradesh                               |                          18.1  |
|    2 | M/s. Mender Hender Welfare Society, Koloriang, Kurung Kumey, Arunachal Pradesh                        |                          18.1  |
|    3 | M/s. Orphan Trust Society, Siyum, Upper Subansiri, Arunachal Pradesh                                  |                          35.1  |
|    4 | M/s. Ajen Anna Society Poma, Sangupta, Papumpare, Arunachal Pradesh                                   |                          34.4  |
|    5 | M/s. Himalayan Tribal Welfare Society, District Lower Subansiri, Pistana C D Block, Arunachal Pradesh |                          37.88 |

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