Govt has chalked out new strategy for revival & resurgence of handloom industry: Gangwar

New Delhi, Apr 19 (KNN) The new strategy for revival of the handloom industry has the core objective of increasing the earnings of handloom weavers through skill upgradation, loom upgradation, availability of good quality raw material at cheaper rates, availability of adequate credit facilities, product design and development and branding for effective marketing, said Union Textiles Minister Santosah Kumar Gangwar.

He said this during the first meeting of the recently constituted All India Handloom Board held today in the national capital under his Chairmanship.

Gangwar, while giving an overview of the various initiatives being taken by the Government for the development of the sector, conveyed to the Board members that the Government under the leadership of Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi is implementing a newly chalked out strategy for revival and resurgence of the handloom industry.

The Textiles Minister said that the new strategy is demand-driven, so that production can be made according to consumer preferences.

He said that the most important initiative in this regard has been the launch of ‘India Handloom’ Brand, aimed at regaining consumer confidence, through quality endorsement in terms of authenticity, azo-free dyes, and fast colours.

He informed that ‘India Handloom’ Brand registration has so far been granted to 170 handloom producing agencies and weavers in 41 product categories. Gangwar said that this is being supported through a comprehensive marketing campaign. 

He said that India Handloom brand producers have reported a sale of more than Rs.15 crore within a period of about four months. A marketing research study is also being undertaken.

The Minister also spoke of the open door e-commerce policy framework. He added that more buyer-seller meets would be held, to strengthen marketing linkages.

The Minister said that on the supply side, the Government has significantly expanded its support to handloom clusters, in terms of Common Facility Centres (CFCs), skill upgradation, assistance for loom upgradation and effective project management through services of full time Cluster Development Executives and competent designers.

Gangwar said that Information Technology is being harnessed in a significant way, for bringing transparency and ease to beneficiaries in accessing facilities. The Minister said that under the Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) project of National Handloom Development Corporation Ltd., weavers will be able to place indents online, track status of their indents, view the stock of materials in yarn depots, get information about unused quota in yarn subsidy scheme and get important information on dispatch of material through SMS in their local language.

During the meeting, the Textiles Minister launched a web portal for continuous upgradation of details of handloom weavers, which will enable effective and easy implementation of various schemes. 

Due attention is being given to effective implementation of Handloom Reservations Act as well, the Minister said. 

Gangwar said that effectiveness of the implementation can be judged from the fact that in FY 2015-’16, 140 FIRs have been lodged till February 2016, as against 88 FIRs in the year 2014-15; 119 convictions were obtained this year, as against 66 last year. (With PIB Inputs)