Question : Textile and Handicraft Policy

(a) whether the Government has formulated any Textile and Handicraft Policy during the last three years and if so, the salient features thereof;

(b) whether the Government has set up any textile and handicraft clusters at various places to boost textile and handicraft industries and if so, the details thereof;

(c) whether there is a big cloth/textile market in Agartala and Tripura cities;

(d) if so, whether the Government proposes to boost textile/cloth industries in Agartala and Tripura cities; and

(e) if so, the details thereof?

MINISTER OF STATE FOR TEXTILES
(SHRI AJAY TAMTA)

(a): 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, 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). The Government has also launched a special package to boost investment, employment and exports in the garmenting and made-up sector.

(b) 429 handicraft clusters have been set up across the country including 5 such clusters in Tripura. State-wise numbers of handicraft clusters are given in a statement at Annexure.

(c) to (e): The Government has set up an Apparel and Garment Making Centre (consisting of 3 Units each installed with 100 stitching machineries) at Bodhjungnagar, Agartala under the NERTPS at a cost of Rs.18.18 crore. Also under the scheme, a Silk Printing Unit has been set up at Agartala at a cost of Rs.3.71 crore with a capacity to print and process about 1.5 lakh meters of silk fabric per annum. To promote handloom sector in Tripura, Government sanctioned 3 Block Level Clusters with Rs. 4.28 crore, 44 marketing events with Rs.2.41 crore, 9 Mudra loans (Rs.3 lakh) and enrolled 9,367 weavers/artisans under Health Insurance Scheme and 2,718 weavers/artisans under Mahatma Gandhi Bunkar Bima Yojana.