Promotion of Handloom Sector in North Eastern States

The North-East has the highest concentration of handloom weavers in the country with women participation of around 88%.  Ministry of Textiles is implementing the following schemes across the country including North-Eastern States:-

1. National Handloom Development Programme (NHDP)
2. Comprehensive Handloom Cluster Development Scheme (CHCDS)
3. Handloom Weavers’ Comprehensive Welfare Scheme (HWCWS)
4. Yarn Supply Scheme (YSS)
5. North Eastern Region Textiles Promotion Scheme (NERTPS)

Under the above schemes, financial assistance is provided for raw materials, purchase of looms and accessories, design innovation, product diversification, infrastructure development, skill upgradation, lighting units, marketing of handloom products and loan at concessional rates.

NATIONAL HANDLOOM DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMME (NHDP)

1. BLOCK LEVEL CLUSTER:  Introduced in 2015-16 as one of the components of National Handloom Development Programme (NHDP).  Financial assistance upto Rs. 2.00 Crore per BLC for various interventions such as skill upgradation, Hathkargha Samvardhan Sahayata, product development, construction of workshed, project management cost, design development, setting up of common facility centre (CFC) etc. is provided. Besides, financial assistance upto Rs. 50.00 lakh is also available for setting up of one dye house at district level. The proposals are recommended by the State Government.  During 2017-18 to 2019-20 and current financial year, 33 Block Level Clusters sanctioned and Rs. 3288.53 lakh has been released.

2. HANDLOOM MARKETING ASSISTANCE is one of the components of National Handloom Development Programme. In order to provide marketing platform to the handloom agencies/weavers to sell their products directly to the consumers, financial assistance is provided to the States/eligible handloom agencies for organizing marketing events in domestic as well as overseas markets.   During 2017-18 to 2019-20 and current financial year, 134 handloom expos sanctioned and Rs. 1384.29 lakh has been released.

3. WEAVER MUDRA SCHEME: Under the Weaver MUDRA Scheme, credit at concessional credit at concessional rate of 6% for a period of three years with GoI interest subvention capped at 7% under National Handloom Development Programme (NHDP) is provided to the handloom weavers. Under the scheme, margin money assistance @20% of loan amount subject to a maximum of Rs. 10,000/- per weaver, credit guarantee fee and subsidized loan are provided to handloom weaver. MUDRA Portal has been developed in association with Punjab National Bank to cut down delay in disbursement of funds for margin money and interest subvention. During 2017-18 to 2019-20, loan amounting to Rs.197.75 lakh has been disbursed.

 

4. HATHKARGHA SAMVARDHAN SAHAYATA (HSS):

Hathkargha Samvardhan Sahayata (HSS) was introduced on 1st December 2016 with an objective to provide looms/accessories to the weavers to enhance their earnings through improved productivity and quality of the handloom products. Under the scheme, 90% of the cost of loom/accessory is borne by the Government of India.  During 2017-18 to 2019-20, number of HSS items distributed were      (i) HSS (looms & accessories) to 8108 beneficiaries; (ii) worksheds to 240 beneficiaries; and          (iii) lighting units to 420 beneficiaries  in the NER States.

 

5. “INDIA HANDLOOM” BRAND– During the celebration of 7th August 2015 as National Handloom Day, ‘India Handloom’ Brand was launched by Hon’ble Prime Minister for branding of high quality handloom products.  Since its launch, 1590 registrations (inclusive of 14 registrations from NER States) have been issued under 184 product categories and total sale of Rs. 1069.93 Crore (upto December 2020) has been generated across the country including NER States.

 

6. E-COMMERCE– In order to promote e-marketing of handloom products, a policy framework was designed and under which any willing e-commerce platform with good track record can participate in online marketing of handloom products. Accordingly, 23 e-commerce entities have been engaged for on-line marketing of handloom products. A total sale of Rs.123.97 Crore (upto September 2020) has been reported through the online portal across the country including NER States.

 

7. URBAN HAATS are set up in the big towns/metropolitan cities to provide adequate direct marketing facilities to the craft persons/weavers and eliminate middle agencies. 38 such Urban Haats have been sanctioned across the country so far, out of which 3 have been sanctioned in NER States.

COMPREHENSIVE HANDLOOM CLUSTER DEVELOPMENT SCHEME:

The Comprehensive Handloom Cluster Development Scheme (CHCDS) is implemented for development of Mega Handloom Clusters in clearly identifiable geographical areas/locations covering atleast 15000 handlooms with the Government of India (GoI) with a contribution upto Rs.40 Crore per cluster over a period of 5 years. In Assam State, Sivasagar Mega Handloom cluster has been taken up covering Sivasagar district. Till date Rs. 22.18 Crore has been released for implementation of various interventions.

HANDLOOM WEAVERS’ COMPREHENSIVE WELFARE SCHEME:

Weavers Comprehensive Welfare Scheme (HWCWS) is providing life, accidental and disability insurance coverage under the components Pradhan Mantri Jeevan Jyoti Bima Yojana (PMJJBY), Pradhan Mantri Suraksha Bima Yojana (PMSBY) and Converged Mahatma Gandhi Bunkar Bima Yojana (MGBBY). During 2017-18 to 2019-20, 1197 natural death claims of Rs.7.176 crore have been settled under the scheme in the NER States .

 

YARN SUPPLY SCHEME:

Yarn Supply Scheme is being implemented throughout the country (including NER States) to make available all types of yarn at Mill Gate Price. The scheme is being implemented through National Handloom Development Corporation (NHDC). Under the scheme, 10% price subsidy is provided which is applicable on cotton, domestic silk, wool and linen yarn with quantity restrictions.  During 2017-18 to 2019-20 and current financial year, 11.49 lakh kg. yarn of the value of Rs. 7199 lakh has been supplied under the scheme in NER states.

NORTH EASTERN TEXTILE PROMOTION SCHEME (NERTPS):

The North East Region Textile Promotion Scheme (NERTPS) is an umbrella scheme implemented in project mode to promote textiles industry in the NER States by providing infrastructure, capacity building and marketing support to the industry.   Funds are released for the following interventions under the scheme:

1. CLUSTER DEVELOPMENT PROJECT (CDP)-  During  2017-18 to 2019-20, Rs.2178 lakh has been released under the scheme for the already sanctioned 180 Cluster Development Projects.
2. TECHNOLOGY UPGRADATION SCHEME FOR HANDLOOM (TUP)- During 2017-18 to 2019-20, Rs.120 lakh has been released under the scheme for already sanctioned 01 Technology Upgradation Project.
3. HANDLOOM MARKETING EVENTS – During 2017-18 to 2019-20 and current financial year, Rs.1546.61 lakh has been released and 74 Handloom marketing events/expos have been sanctioned.

This information was given in a written reply by the Union Minister of Textiles, Smt. Smriti Zubin Irani in Lok Sabha today.