Question : Handloom Cluster

(a) whether the Government has received any proposals from the State Government of Jharkhand for sanction of handloom clusters in their State;

(b) if so, the details thereof along with the response of the Government thereto;

(c) whether the Government is planning to develop such clusters in the country;

(d) if so, the details thereof along with the number of such clusters currently functional in the country, State/UT-wise including Jharkhand;

(e) the details of the places identified for establishment of new handloom clusters in the country, State/UT-wise including Jharkhand;

(f) the present status of mega handloom clusters in the country, State/UT-wise including Godda district of Jharkhand?

THE MINISTER OF STATE FOR TEXTILES
(SMT. DARSHANA JARDOSH)

(a) to (e): Handloom clusters are sanctioned financial assistance upto Rs.2.00 crore per cluster for their holistic & integrated development by implementation of various interventions such as Hathkargha Samvardhan Sahayata, product development/diversification, construction of workshed, design development etc., based on the viable proposals received from State Governments/UTs. 468 clusters, including 30 clusters in Jharkhand State have been sanctioned financial assistance in the country since 2015-16. A statement showing State/UT-wise number of clusters sanctioned financial assistance is annexed.

(f): As per the revised guidelines of National Handloom Development Programme, mega handloom cluster will be taken up, having atleast 10,000 handlooms. Each such mega cluster will be developed with Central assistance upto Rs.30.00 crore. At present, eight mega handloom clusters are under implementation at Varanasi (Uttar Pradesh), Sivasagar (Assam), Murshidabad (West Bengal), Virudhunagar (Tamil Nadu), Godda & neighbouring districts (Jharkhand), Trichy (Tamil Nadu), Bhagalpur (Bihar) and Prakasam & Guntur districts (Andhra Pradesh).