Lok Sabha Question No. 2312 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2022-03-16
Subject: Helping Handloom Weavers
Ministry: TEXTILES
Asked by: Raghu Ramakrishna Raju Kanumuru, Manne Srinivas Reddy, Komati Reddy Venkat Reddy

## HELPING HANDLOOM WEAVERS

## 2312.  SHRI KANUMURU RAGHU RAMA KRISHNA RAJU:

SHRI MANNE SRINIVAS REDDY:

SHRI KOMATI REDDY VENKAT REDDY:

## Will the Minister of TEXTILES वस्त्र मंत्री

be pleased to state :

- (a)  whether  the  sustained  Government  support  has  over  the  years  helped  handloom  weavers  and traditional artisans in the States to survive downturns and competition from powerlooms and modern manufacturers and in creating brands such as Co-optex, a weaver's cooperative etc in all the States;
- (b) if so, the details thereof;
- (c)  whether  this  support  of  the  Government  also  helped  the  weavers  and  artisans  to  showcase  their textiles and craft to a larger audience;
- (d) if so, the details including the funds sanctioned/ spent therefor, State-wise;
- (e) whether the Government managed to procure and safeguard the livelihood of the weavers in many States even during the COVID-19 pandemic; and
- (f) if so, the details and present status thereof?

## उत्तर

## ANSWER )

## वस्त्र राज् य मंत्री ( श्रीमती दर्शना जरदोर्

## THE MINISTER OF STATE FOR TEXTILES (SMT. DARSHANA JARDOSH)

- (a) to (f): For  providing  sustained  support  to  the  Handloom  Weavers,  Ministry  of  Textiles  is implementing following schemes:
1. National Handloom Development Programme;
2. Raw Material Supply Scheme;

Under the above schemes, financial assistance is provided to the eligible handloom agencies/weavers for raw materials, Common  infrastructure development, marketing of handloom products in domestic/overseas markets, Weavers MUDRA Loans etc.

Different States are promoting handlooms  in their respective states through State  Handloom Corporations, Apex Societies and federations such as Co-optex, Boyonika, Tantuja, APCO, Mrignayani, Upica,  Bilasa etc.

To  overcome  the  issues  being  faced  by  handloom  workers,  including  ill  effects  of  pandemic Covid-19,  the  Government  has  taken  following  steps  to  protect  livelihood  and  welfare  of  handloom weavers and to promote handloom sector across the country:

- i. The  States  and  UTs  have  been  requested  to  ask  their  State  Handloom  Corporations/Cooperatives/Agencies to make purchases of the finished inventory available with the handloom weavers.
- ii. Steps have been taken to on-board weavers on Government e-Market place to enable them to sell their products directly to various Government Departments and organizations. So far about 1.50 lakh weavers and 28,000 artisans have been on-boarded on the GeM portal.
- iii. To  enhance  productivity,  marketing  capabilities  and  facilitate  better  incomes,  135  Handloom Producer companies (PCs) have been formed in different States of the country.
- iv. Design  Resource  Centres  have  been  set  up  in  Weavers'  Service  Centres  at  Delhi,  Mumbai, Varanasi, Ahmedabad, Jaipur, Bhubaneswar, Guwahati and Kancheepuram to build and create design-oriented  excellence  in  the  Handloom  Sector  and  to  facilitate  weavers,  exporters, manufacturers  and  designers  access  design  repositories  for  sample/product  improvisation  and development.
- v. Ministry  of  Textiles  has  undertaken  to  develop  Craft  Villages  in  Handloom  and  Handicraft pockets  of  the  country  on  important  tourist  circuits  for  integrated  sustainable  development  of Handlooms,  crafts  and  tourism  with  the  combined  effort  of  the  State and  the  Central Governments.
- vi. For  export  promotion  of  handloom  products,  Handloom  Export  Promotion  Council  has  been organizing  International  Fairs.    During  the  year  2021-22,  various  international  marketing fairs/events  have  been  organised.   Besides,  domestic marketing events were also organised in different parts of the country for the weavers to market and sell their products.
- vii. Weavers  are  facilitated  to  sell  their  products  online  and  23  e-commerce  platforms  have  been associated by Ministry of Textiles under a policy framework.
- viii. Marketing  platform  is  provided  to  the  handloom  agencies/weavers  by  organizing  marketing expos/events to sell their products.
- ix. Apart from above, National Handicrafts Development Programme (NHDP) and Comprehensive Handicrafts  Cluster  Development  Scheme  (CHCDS)  are  also  being  implemented  for  overall development  of  handicrafts in a holistic  manner  and  to provide sustainable livelihood opportunities to the artisans.

The NHDP and CHCDS have following components:

- a. Marketing Support & Services
- b. Skill Development in Handicrafts sector
- c. Ambedkar Hastshilp Vikas Yojna
- d. Direct Benefit to Artisans
- e. Infrastructure and Technology Support
- f. Research and Development
- g. Mega Cluster