Lok Sabha Question No. 757 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2016-07-21
Subject: Decline in Handloom Weavers
Ministry: TEXTILES
Asked by: LAKHAN LAL SAHU

## DECLINE IN HANDLOOM WEAVERS

## 757. SHRI LAKHAN LAL SAHU:

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

(a) whether there has been steady decline in the number of weavers engaged in the handloom industries;

- (b) if so, the details thereof for the last two years and the current year, State-wise;
- (c) whether the Government is contemplating to prepare a long term policy to solve the said problem; and
- (d) if so, the details thereof?

## उत्तर

## ANSWER वस्त्र मंरी ( )

## MINISTER OF TEXTILES (SMT. SMRITI ZUBIN IRANI)

(a) & (b): Yes Madam.  So far, three handloom censuses have been conducted by the Ministry of Textiles which indicates that there has been decline in the number of weavers engaged in the handloom industries.  As per first handloom census (1987-88), there were 67.39 lakh handloom workers across the country which was reduced to 65.50 lakh during second handloom census (1995-96).  Further, these declined to 43.31 lakh, during third handloom  census  (2009-10).      State-wise  statement  is annexed .      However,  share  of full-time  weavers to  total  weavers  increased  to  64%  from  44% and  share  of  idle  looms decreased to 4% from 10% in third handloom census as compared to second handlooms census.

(c) & (d): To Government has made a strategy to promote production and marketing of  high  value  good  quality  handloom  products  for  increasing  earnings  of  weavers.    To implement this strategy, the following schemes are under implementation:-

- (i) National Handloom Development Programme (NHDP)
- (ii) Comprehensive Handloom Cluster Development Scheme (CHCDS)
- (iii)Yarn Supply Scheme
- (iv) Handloom Weavers Comprehensive Welfare Scheme.

Annexure Status of Total Handloom workers as per 1 st , 2 nd and 3rd   Handloom Census

| S. No.   | State Name        | Nos. of Total workers (1987-88)   | Nos. of Total workers (1995-96)   | Nos. of Total workers (2009-10)   |
|----------|-------------------|-----------------------------------|-----------------------------------|-----------------------------------|
| 1        | Andhra Pradesh    | 469,086                           | 490,616                           | 355,838                           |
| 2        | Arunachal Pradesh | 47,400                            | 53,473                            | 33,041                            |
| 3        | Assam             | 2,079,238                         | 2,322,268                         | 1,643,453                         |
| 4        | Bihar             | 241,298                           | 167,707                           | 43,392                            |
| 5        | Chhattisgarh      |                                   |                                   | 8,191                             |
| 6        | Delhi             | 19,727                            | 6,708                             | 2,738                             |
| 7        | Goa               | 109                               | 25                                | 0                                 |
| 8        | Gujarat           | 69,320                            | 57,936                            | 11,009                            |
| 9        | Haryana           | 37,640                            | 22,810                            | 7,967                             |
| 10       | Himachal Pradesh  | 55,387                            | 65,099                            | 13,458                            |
| 11       | Jammu and Kashmir | 53,503                            | 51,847                            | 33,209                            |
| 12       | Jharkhand         |                                   |                                   | 21,160                            |
| 13       | Karnataka         | 188,749                           | 177,562                           | 89,256                            |
| 14       | Kerala            | 78,595                            | 63,153                            | 14,679                            |
| 15       | Madhya Pradesh    | 79,473                            | 56,106                            | 14,761                            |
| 16       | Maharashtra       | 147,478                           | 80,901                            | 3,418                             |
| 17       | Manipur           | 336,954                           | 462,087                           | 218,753                           |
| 18       | Meghalaya         |                                   |                                   | 13,612                            |
| 19       | Mizoram           |                                   |                                   | 43,528                            |
| 20       | Nagaland          | 147,617                           | 126,228                           | 66,490                            |
| 21       | Orissa            | 247,071                           | 246,782                           | 114,106                           |
| 22       | Pondicherry       | 9,207                             | 7,369                             | 2,803                             |
| 23       | Punjab            | 24,423                            | 13,160                            | 2,636                             |
| 24       | Rajasthan         | 84,769                            | 71,915                            | 31,958                            |
| 25       | Sikkim            |                                   |                                   | 568                               |
| 26       | Tamil Nadu        | 758,722                           | 607,675                           | 352,321                           |
| 27       | Tripura           | 138,886                           | 291,761                           | 137,177                           |
| 28       | Uttar Pradesh     | 657,987                           | 420,684                           | 257,783                           |
| 29       | Uttarakhand       |                                   |                                   | 15,468                            |
| 30       | West Bengal       | 766,808                           | 686,254                           | 779,103                           |
|          | Total             | 6,739,447                         | 6,550,126                         | 4,331,876                         |

The table (1995-96) excludes 3 States viz. Meghalaya, Mizoram, Sikkim & 3 new States Chhattisgarh, Uttrakhand, Jharkhand.

******