Call to Encourage Indian Handloom Industry
Call to Encourage Indian Handloom Industry
Recently, the Union Textile Minister has called for taking steps to encourage the Indian handloom industry.
- The Union Textiles Minister addressed the nation on the occasion of 7th National Handloom Day (NHD). During this, he stressed on increasing the export of products four times (from the present Rs 2500 crore to Rs 10,000 crore) to provide impetus to the handloom sector. Also called for doubling the production capacity (from the current Rs 80,000 crore to Rs 1.25 lakh crore) in the next three years.
- The Swadeshi Movement was launched on 7th August, 1906 in a meeting held at the Kolkata Town Hall. To commemorate this historic occasion, 7 August 2015 was announced to be celebrated as National Handloom Day.
- The main objective of this movement was to revive domestic products and production processes.
- It is to be known that handloom is a hand operated tool, which is used for weaving.
- Handlooms contribute the second highest (15%) to India’s total textile production. It is to be known that in the total textile production of the country, the power loom / power loom has the highest (60%) contribution.
- A power loom is a mechanically driven loom (powered by steam or electricity) used for weaving a garment or a pattern.
Initiatives taken by the Government:
- National Handloom Development Programme (NHDP)
- Comprehensive Handloom Cluster Development Scheme, (CHCDS)
- Yarn Supply Scheme (YSS)
- Handloom Weavers Comprehensive Welfare Scheme
Involve weavers in Government e-Market Place (GOM) so that they can sell their products directly to various government organizations.
Financial assistance for registration of handloom items under the Geographical Indications Act, 1999, etc.
Problems of Weavers Industry:
The weaving industry is mainly suffering from three types of problems-
- Income related: This includes having low income, lack of access to credit facilities and not attracting new weavers etc.
- Supply related: Non-supply of raw materials and marketing problems.
- External problems: Branding and consumer buying behavior.
Source – The Hindu
[catlist]