Government has been implementing various policy initiatives and programmes for development of textiles and handicrafts particularly for technology upgradation, infrastructure creation and skill development. These include Amended Technology Upgradation Funds Scheme (ATUFS), PowerTex India Scheme; National handloom Development Programme; Scheme for Integrated Textile Parks, SAMARTH- scheme for capacity building in Textile Sector, Silk Samagra- integrated silk development scheme, North Eastern Region Textile Promotion Scheme (NERTPS), the National Handicraft Development Programme (NHDP) and the Comprehensive Handicrafts Cluster Development Scheme (CHCDS).  

Under “Comprehensive Handicrafts Cluster Development Scheme” (CHCDS), around 450 Handicraft Clusters have been undertaken across the country including 49 such clusters in Gujarat during the last 5 years to mobilize the artisans into Self-Help Groups, thrift and credit, training of SHGs on various aspects of forming and running community business enterprise.  Under Comprehensive Handloom Cluster Development Scheme(CHCDS), 8 mega handloom clusters have been takenup in a period of 5 years. Under this scheme, 31 block level handloom clusters have also been taken up during 20118-19 for over all development benefiting 26,093 weavers.Under the Comprehensive Powerloom Cluster Development scheme, five powerloom mega clusters are set up in different parts of the country including one at Surat, Gujarat for development of infrastructure and to boost production and export.

Government has been taking various efforts through schemes/programmes to boost textiles and cloth industries including handicrafts across the country including in Gujarat. A special package has been launched in 2016 to boost investment, employment and exports in the garmenting and made-up sector. For development of Knitting and Knitwear Sector, a new scheme has been launched in January 2019 with an outlay of Rs.47.72 crore for a period upto 31.3.2020 in order to boost production in knitting and knitwear clusters at Ludhiana, Kolkata, and Tiruppur which provide employment to nearly 24 lakh persons.For the development of the handicrafts sector, Government is implementing the National Handicraft Development Programme (NHDP) and the Comprehensive Handicrafts Cluster Development Scheme (CHCDS) for providing support on design, technology upgradation, infrastructure development, research and development, market support etc. to handicrafts clusters in the country.

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

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MM/ SB