Lok Sabha Question No. 2984 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2021-03-12
Subject: Livelihood of Weavers
Ministry: TEXTILES
Asked by: S. Jagathrakshakan

## LIVELIHOOD OF WEAVERS

## 2984. SHRI S. JAGATHRAKSHAKAN:

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

(a) whether it is a fact that the livelihood of weavers is challenged owing to their struggle in adapting to the new age dynamics of the market; and

(b)  if  so,  the  steps  taken/to  be  taken  by  the  Government  to  encourage  the  younger  generation and local authorities to take up weaving as a sustainable earning avenue?

## उत्तर

## ANSWER

## वस्त्र मंत्री ( श्रीमती स्मृतत ज़ूबिन इरानी )

MINISTER OF TEXTILES (SMT. SMRITI ZUBIN IRANI)

(a) & (b): The  following  steps  have  been  taken  by  the  Govt.  to  enhance  the  livelihood  of weavers:

- i) The  handloom  weavers,  and  exporters  from  different  corners  of  the  country  were connected virtually with international market. In the Fy 2020-21, 8 events have been organised by Handloom Exports Promotion Council (HEPC) in the virtual mode.
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.
3. iii) 534 Chaupals were organized in various States to educate the weavers 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  sector and to enable wider market for  handloom weavers/producers, about 1.5 lakh handloom weavers/entities 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 producer companies have been formed in different States, wherein younger population

of  handloom  weavers  and  workers  is  engaged  in  managing  different  functions  of producers companies.

- 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.

The  above  efforts  are  in  addition  to  the  schemes  run  by  the  Govt.  under  National  Handloom Development  Programme  (NHDP)  viz.  financial  assistance  for  purchase  of  upgraded  looms  & accessories,  lighting  units,  skill  up-gradation  training  programme  in  technical  areas  i.e.  weaving, dyeing, designing, design innovation, product diversification and common infrastructural support etc.

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