Lok Sabha Question No. 2916 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2021-12-15
Subject: Developing Sualkuchi Handloom Sector
Ministry: TEXTILES
Asked by: Pradyut Bordoloi

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 2916 TO BE ANSWERED ON 15.12.2021

## DEVELOPING SUALKUCHI HANDLOOM SECTOR

## 2916. SHRI PRADYUT BORDOLOI:

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

(a) whether there has been any initiative to improve and develop Sualkuchi's handloom sector, where over 20,000 weavers have been affected due to Covid-19 lockdown and if so, the details thereof;

- (b) the details of price spike due to GST on various materials used in the cottage industry; and

(c) whether the Government is going to obtain Geographical Indicator (GI) status for Sualkuchi's silk and if so, the details thereof?

## उत्तर

## ANSWER

## वस्त्र राज् य मंत्री ( श्रीमती दर्शना जरदोर् )

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

(a): Ministry  of  Textiles  is  implementing  the  following  schemes  during  2021-22  to  2025-26  for development  of  handlooms  and  welfare  of  weavers  across  the  country  including  in  Sualkuchi's handloom sector:

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, loans at concessional rates, etc.

To  overcome  the  present  challenges  being  faced  by  handloom  workers,  the  Government  has taken following steps for their welfare and to promote handloom sector across the country:

- i. The  States  and  UTs  have  been  requested  for  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 have been on-boarded on the GeM portal.
- iii. To enhance productivity, marketing capabilities and ensure better incomes, 128 Handloom Producer companies (PCs) have been formed in different States including 01 PC has been formed in Sualkuchi.
- iv. Under Concessional Credit/Weaver MUDRA Scheme, financial assistance is provided as follows:
- a. Margin money assistance @20% of loan amount, subject to maximum of Rs. 25,000/- per weaver. @ 20% of loan amount, subject to maximum of Rs. 20,000/- lakh (@      Rs. 2.00 lakh for every 100 weaver/worker) per handloom organisations.
- b. Interest subvention upto 7% for 3 years; and
- c. Credit Guarantee on loans for 3 years
- v. Design Resource Centres have been set up in Weavers' Service Centres at Delhi, Mumbai, Varanasi, Ahmedabad, Jaipur, Bhubaneswar, Guwahati and Kancheepuram through NIFT with the objective 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.
- vi. To promote marketing of handloom products, Handloom Export Promotion Council has been  organizing  International  Fairs  in  virtual  mode.    During  the  year  2020-21,  12 handloom fairs were organised in virtual mode.  Besides, domestic marketing events were also  organised  in  different  parts  of  the  country  for  the  weavers  to  market  and  sell  their products.
- vii. 534 number of Chaupals were organized in various States to educate the weavers to avail benefits of various handloom schemes for their welfare and socio-economic development.
- viii. To promote e-marketing of handloom products, 23 e-commerce entities have been engaged for online marketing of handloom products.
- ix. Marketing platform is provided to the handloom  agencies/weavers by organizing marketing expos/events to sell their products
13. (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.  Also GST is implemented through an Act of Parliament with States as equal partners in GST Council with Government of India.  Accordingly, it is applicable to the Textiles sectors also including handlooms, along with corresponding implication on the concerned handloom products.

(c): Different  types  of  silk  handloom  products  are  woven  in  Sualkuchi,  Assam.  Muga  Silk  is registered under Geographical Indication Act, 1999.