To promote the Handloom and Handicraft sectors, Ministry of Textiles is implementing the following schemes across the country:

1. National Handloom Development Programme;
2. Raw Material Supply Scheme;
3. National Handicrafts Development Programme
4. Comprehensive Handicrafts Cluster Development Scheme

Under the above schemes, financial assistance is provided to the eligible handloom and handicraft agencies/weavers/artisans for raw materials, common infrastructure development, marketing of handloom and handicraft products in domestic/overseas markets, Weaver MUDRA Loans etc.

In addition to the above,

• Ministry of Textiles is also seeking protection of traditional designs and patterns under the Geographical Indication (GI) Act, 1999. This Ministry provides financial assistance for registering the designs/products under the GI Act and for organizing seminars, workshops etc., for awareness creation.
• Design Resource Centres have been set up in 16 Weavers’ Service Centres across the country including at Jaipur, Rajasthan to preserve traditional handloom designs, and to build and create design-oriented excellence in the Handloom Sector.
• Marketing platform is provided to the handloom & handicrafts agencies/weavers/artisans by organizing marketing expos/events to sell their products. During last three years, a total of 43 expos/events have been organised in the State of Rajasthan.
• To enhance productivity, marketing capabilities and ensure better incomes, more than 380 Producer Companies (PCs) have been formed in different States across country including 16 PCs in the state of Rajasthan.
• Steps have been taken to on-board weavers and artisans on Government e-Market (GeM) place to enable them sell their products directly to various Government Departments and organizations. So far about 1.80 lakh weavers have been on-boarded on the GeM portal.

Funds are not allocated State-wise. The funds are released based on receipt of proposals from the State Governments and other Handloom organisations.

Handloom and Handicrafts are mainly an individual based household activity to which Minimum Wages Act is not applicable. However, through schematic interventions, as specified above, Ministry of Textile provides direct marketing platforms giving ample opportunities for business development and income generation to weavers and artisans across the country.

This information was provided by THE MINISTER OF STATE FOR TEXTILES SHRI PABITRA

MARGHERITA in a written reply to a question in Lok Sabha today.

****

DHANYA SANAL K

DIRECTOR

(Lok Sabha US Q3914)

(Release ID: 2115265) Visitor Counter : 228