Lok Sabha Question No. 237 (STARRED), answered on 2025-08-05
Subject: Schemes for Development of Handloom and Handicraft Sectors
Ministry: TEXTILES
Asked by: Shri Kamakhya Prasad Tasa

## LOK SABHA STARRED QUESTION NO. *237 TO BE ANSWERED ON 05.08.2025

## SCHEMES FOR DEVELOPMENT OF HANDLOOM AND HANDICRAFT SECTORS

## *237. SHRI KAMAKHYA PRASAD TASA:

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

- (a)  whether  it  is  a  fact  that  the  handloom  and  handicraft  sectors  have  huge  potential  for  creating  job opportunities, if so, the details thereof;
- (b) the details of schemes/projects initiated for the development of the Handloom and Handicraft sectors in rural areas over the last five years, State-wise particularly in Assam;
- (c) the funds allocated and utilized, the number of beneficiaries, especially woman under these schemes, State-wise including Assam; and
- (d) whether the Government plans to implement specific schemes for the development of Handloom and Handicraft sectors targeted towards SC/ST/OBC/Minority communities, if so, the details thereof?

उत्तर

ANSWER

## वस्त्र मंत्री ( श्री गिररराज स ंह )

MINISTER OF TEXTILES (SHRI GIRIRAJ SINGH)

- (a) to (d):A statement is laid on the Table of the House.

## Statement referred to in reply to part (a) to (d) of Lok Sabha Starred Question No.*237 for answer on 05.08.2025.

(a): There  is  huge  potential  in  handloom  and  handicraft  sectors  across  the  country  in  terms  of facilitation of self-employment opportunities through implementation of various schemes for 35.22 lakh handloom  workers  and  29.44  lakh  handicraft  artisans  engaged  in  these  sectors.  The  details  regarding State-wise number of handloom workers and handicraft artisans are given at Annexure-I .

(b): The  Government  of  India,  Ministry  of  Textiles  is  implementing  following  schemes  for  the development of handloom and handicraft sectors across the country, including rural areas and Assam:

- i. National Handloom Development Programme;
- ii. Raw Material Supply Scheme;
- iii. National Handicraft Development Programme;
- iv. Comprehensive Handicrafts Cluster Development Scheme;

Under  the  above  schemes,  financial  assistance  is  provided  for  raw  materials,  purchase  of  looms, accessories and  toolkits, design innovation, product diversification, value addition, infrastructure development, marketing of handloom and handicraft products in domestic and overseas markets, loans at concessional rates, etc.

(c): In the schemes implemented by the Ministry of Textiles in these sectors, budget is not allocated State/UT-wise. Funds to eligible handloom/handicraft agencies are released for various interventions on receipt of viable proposals as per the extant guidelines of the respective schemes. The details of funds released and utilised under these schemes across the country including Assam during the last five years are as follows:

| Year    |   (Rs. in crore) released/utilised |
|---------|------------------------------------|
| 2020-21 |                             392.98 |
| 2021-22 |                             651.86 |
| 2022-23 |                             428.6  |
| 2023-24 |                             465.85 |
| 2024-25 |                             486.35 |

The  details  regarding  State-wise  number  of  beneficiaries  including  women  weavers/artisans  under schemes of Handloom and Handicraft sectors during the last five years are given at Annexure-II .

(d): In  order  to  encourage  women/SC/ST/OBC  communities,  the  Ministry  of  Textiles  provides additional  incentives  to  them  to  sustain  and  augment  their  business.  Some  of  the  benefits  provided  to women/SC/ST/OBC weavers/artisans across the country are:

-  Under schemes of handloom and handicrafts sector, preference is given to programmes which have weavers/artisans from women/SC/ST/OBC category.
-  There is 100% subsidy to BPL/SC/ST/Women/Transgender/Differently-abled weavers for construction of work sheds under National Handloom Development Programme.

## Statement referred to in reply of part (a) of Lok Sabha Starred Question No.*237 for answer on 0508-2025

## State-wise number of handlooms, handloom workers and handicraft artisans

| SI. No   | State                           | No. of handlooms   | No. of handloom workers   | No. of handicraft artisans   |
|----------|---------------------------------|--------------------|---------------------------|------------------------------|
| 1        | Andhra Pradesh                  | 93,375             | 1,77,447                  | 65,881                       |
| 2        | Andaman &Nicobar Islands        | -                  | -                         | 2,426                        |
| 3        | Arunachal Pradesh               | 99,454             | 94,616                    | 9,602                        |
| 4        | Assam                           | 12,48,806          | 12,83,881                 | 95,244                       |
| 5        | Bihar                           | 8,447              | 12,847                    | 1,03,640                     |
| 6        | Chhattisgarh                    | 12,743             | 21,503                    | 16,256                       |
| 7        | Delhi                           | 2,498              | 4,285                     | 24,309                       |
| 8        | Goa                             | 16                 | 26                        | 10,238                       |
| 9        | Gujarat                         | 9,903              | 10,601                    | 1,41,624                     |
| 10       | Haryana                         | 11,759             | 25,542                    | 42,470                       |
| 11       | Himachal Pradesh                | 15,202             | 13,688                    | 27,180                       |
| 12       | Jammu &Kashmir including Ladakh | 14,750             | 23,328                    | 1,43,818                     |
| 13       | Jharkhand                       | 8,607              | 22,497                    | 87,454                       |
| 14       | Karnataka                       | 24,071             | 54,791                    | 40,735                       |
| 15       | Kerala                          | 31,619             | 22,084                    | 53,144                       |
| 16       | Madhya Pradesh                  | 12,069             | 18,072                    | 1,33,557                     |
| 17       | Maharashtra                     | 4,354              | 3,509                     | 73,028                       |
| 18       | Manipur                         | 2,16,192           | 2,24,684                  | 45,762                       |
| 19       | Meghalaya                       | 43,220             | 42,774                    | 5,170                        |
| 20       | Mizoram                         | 22,875             | 27,540                    | 2,815                        |
| 21       | Nagaland                        | 70,089             | 43,484                    | 10,790                       |
| 22       | Odisha                          | 48,161             | 1,17,836                  | 1,71,330                     |
| 23       | Puducherry                      | 929                | 1,690                     | 15,629                       |
| 24       | Punjab                          | 758                | 969                       | 33,889                       |
| 25       | Rajasthan                       | 6,446              | 10,090                    | 1,66,875                     |
| 26       | Sikkim                          | 132                | 697                       | 2,363                        |
| 27       | Tamil Nadu                      | 2,18,748           | 2,43,575                  | 65,911                       |
| 28       | Telangana                       | 17,095             | 47,852                    | 45,963                       |
| 29       | Tripura                         | 1,66,050           | 1,37,639                  | 16,833                       |
| 30       | Uttar Pradesh                   | 1,24,242           | 1,90,957                  | 9,78,536                     |
| 31       | Uttarakhand                     | 7,368              | 12,561                    | 39,610                       |
| 32       | West Bengal                     | 2,83,404           | 6,31,447                  | 2,72,213                     |
| Total    | Total                           | 28,23,382          | 35,22,512                 | 29,44,295                    |

## Statement referred to in reply of part (c) of Lok Sabha Starred Question No.*237 for answer on 05-08-2025

State-wise number of weavers/artisans including women under schemes of Handloom and Handicraft sectors during the last five years

| SI. No   | State                          | Weavers benefittedArtisan   | benefitted   |
|----------|--------------------------------|-----------------------------|--------------|
| 1        | Andhra Pradesh                 | 85,201                      | 17,597       |
| 2        | Arunachal Pradesh              | 1,356                       | 2,500        |
| 3        | Assam                          | 46,120                      | 21,163       |
| 4        | Bihar                          | 5,968                       | 15,111       |
| 5        | Chhattisgarh                   | 7,509                       | 4,530        |
| 6        | Delhi                          | 172                         | 12,965       |
| 7        | Goa                            | 27                          | 2,120        |
| 8        | Gujarat                        | 3,192                       | 29,977       |
| 9        | Haryana                        | 3,514                       | 7,435        |
| 10       | Himachal Pradesh               | 2,319                       | 15,136       |
| 11       | Jammu &Kashmir                 | 4,551                       | 24,987       |
| 12       | Jharkhand                      | 5,713                       | 9,674        |
| 13       | Karnataka                      | 25,440                      | 12,894       |
| 14       | Kerala                         | 17,140                      | 10,331       |
| 15       | Madhya Pradesh                 | 4,657                       | 42,740       |
| 16       | Maharashtra                    | 4,515                       | 18,996       |
| 17       | Manipur                        | 30,009                      | 15,193       |
| 18       | Meghalaya                      | 494                         | 4,426        |
| 19       | Mizoram                        | 2,617                       | 2,350        |
| 20       | Nagaland                       | 1,073                       | 4,730        |
| 21       | Odisha                         | 34,538                      | 16,210       |
| 22       | Puducherry                     | 1,520                       | 4,460        |
| 23       | Punjab                         | 567                         | 9,310        |
| 24       | Rajasthan                      | 1,465                       | 29,992       |
| 25       | Sikkim                         | 81                          | 2,310        |
| 26       | Tamil Nadu                     | 1,25,463                    | 13,806       |
| 27       | Telangana                      | 44,871                      | 8,984        |
| 28       | Tripura                        | 1,749                       | 16,230       |
| 29       | Uttar Pradesh                  | 1,20,818                    | 1,04,054     |
| 30       | Uttarakhand                    | 5,302                       | 8,315        |
| 31       | West Bengal                    | 55,964                      | 14,531       |
| 32       | All India (non-state specific) | 1,060                       | 7,263        |
| Total    | Total                          | 6,44,985                    | 5,10,320     |

Besides, 1,810 artisans benefitted in Andaman & Nicobar Islands,  750 in Chandigarh, 50 in Daman & Diu and 3,264 in Ladakh.

Note:  71% of the handloom weaver population and 64% of the artisan population are women hence the maximum benefits are being given to women weavers/artisans.