: Mumbai, August 7, 2021

The 7th National Handloom Day has been observed at Weavers' Service Centre in Mumbai today. On this day the handloom weaving community is honoured throughout the country. The contribution of this sector in the socio-economic development of this country was highlighted in the programme organized here. Weavers' Service Centre (WSC), which functions under the Development Commissioner (Handlooms) of the Ministry of Textiles, provides skill-upgradation training in disciplines such as weaving, dyeing and designing. The Mumbai Centre has three block level cluster at Yeola in Nashik, Paithan in Aurangabad and Solapur where central schemes for Skill Upgradation Training, Hathkargha Samvardhan Sahayata(HSS), construction of individual work-shed and lighting-unit are implemented.    

The dignitaries who attended the programme at the Mumbai Centre today included MLA Captain Tamil R Selvam, Revivalist Design Consultant Ms. Belaa Sanghvi, who expressed satisfaction with the works done in the Centre. A few weaver-beneficiaries were also present. Discussions focused on the activities related to implementation of major initiative for development of handloom sector, like Block Level Clusters, India Handloom Brand, Handloom Mark, MUDRA Scheme, Insurance Scheme, e-commerce, e- Dhaga, GI etc. Designs and samples of products developed at the Weavers' Service Centre were exhibited.

Sandeep Kumar, Deputy Director of WSC Mumbai informed that 20 beneficiaries are provided training in each batch of the skill-upgradation programme, and 21 such training sessions of 45 days are conducted in a year. The trainees who get an opportunity to learn from masters of the field, are also provided with a stipend of Rs 210/- per day during the training period. Under the Hathkargha Samvardhan Sahayata, WSC distributes looms and its accessories, dobby, jacquard, warp beam etc. More than 290 beneficiaries have received items for which a financial assistance of Rs.66.09 lakh has been provided by the Government of India in FY 2020-21. Further, financial assistance has been provided for building individual worksheds for 59 beneficiaries, who received Rs. 52,500/- each, while women and SC candidates received Rs. 70,000/- each. Lighting units  also have been given to 84 beneficiaries.

The Mumbai Centre's success can be gauged from the fact that 28 weavers who were trained in this Centre have received various awards, including 2 Sant Kabir Award and 17 national awards. Further, five weaver beneficiaries havde received India handloom Brand Certificate for manufacturing of Paithani Saree and seven of them have registered under retail shops of India Handloom Brand products. WSC, Mumbai has also facilitated loan under PM Mudra Scheme for 24 weavers, further informed Sandeep Kumar.

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