MINISTER OF TEXTILES
(SMT. SMRITI ZUBIN IRANI)
(a): 6,29,889 handloom workers have been enrolled under the Mahatma Gandhi Bunkar Bima Yojana (MGBBY) since 2016-2017.
(b): 6,777 handloom workers have been provided insurance benefits in the case of natural death/accidental death, total and partial disability during the last three years and current year.
(c) & (d): Government of India, Ministry of Textiles is implementing following schemes for development of handlooms and welfare of handloom weavers in the country:
1) Handloom Weavers’ Comprehensive Welfare Scheme (HWCWS)
2) National Handloom Development Programme (NHDP)
3) Comprehensive Handloom Cluster Development Scheme (CHCDS)
4) Yarn Supply Scheme (YSS)
1. Handloom Weavers’ Comprehensive Welfare Scheme:
Handloom Weavers Comprehensive Welfare Scheme (HWCWS) is providing Life, accidental and disability insurance coverage to handloom weavers/workers under the components Pradhan Mantri Jivan Jyoti Bima Yojana(PMJJBY), Pradhan Mantri Suraksha Bima Yojana(PMSBY) and Converged Mahatma Gandhi Bumkar Bima Yojana(MGBBY).
2. National Handloom Development Programme (NHDP)
(i) Education of handloom weavers and their children: Ministry of Textiles has signed Memorandums of Understanding with Indira Gandhi National Open University (IGNOU) and National Institute of Open Schooling (NIOS) to secure educational facilities for the weavers and their families. NIOS offers Secondary and Senior Secondary level education with specialized subjects on design, marketing, business development, etc. through distance learning mode for handloom weavers, whereas IGNOU offers continuing education programs through accessible and flexible learning opportunities relevant to the aspirations of handloom weavers and their children for career progression.
Ministry of Textiles is providing reimbursement of 75% of the fee towards admission to NIOS/IGNOU courses in case of SC, ST, BPL, and Women learners belonging to handloom weavers’ families.
(ii) Weaver MUDRA Scheme: Under the Weavers’ Mudra Scheme, credit at concessional interest rate of 6% is provided to the handloom weavers. Margin money assistance to a maximum of Rs.10,000 per weaver and credit guarantee for a period of 3 years is also provided. MUDRA portal has been developed in association with Punjab National Bank to cut down delay in disbursement of funds for margin money and interest subvention.
(iii) Block Level Cluster Introduced in 2015-16 as one of the components of National Handloom Development Programme (NHDP). Financial assistance upto Rs.2.00 crore per BLC for various interventions such as skill upgradation, Hathkargha Samvardhan Sahayata, product development, construction of workshed, project management cost, design development, setting up of common facility centre (CFC) etc. is provided. Besides, financial assistance upto Rs.50.00 lakh is also available for setting up of one dye house at district level.
(iv) Hathkargha Samvardhan Sahayata (HSS): Hathkargha Samvardhan Sahayata (HSS) was introduced on 1st December 2016 with an objective to provide looms/accessories to the weavers to enhance their earnings through improved productivity and quality of the handloom products. Under the scheme, 90% of the cost of loom/accessory is borne by the Government of India while remaining 10% is borne by the beneficiary. The Government of India’s share is released directly in the Bank account of the beneficiary through designated agency.
(v) Handloom Marketing Assistance is one of the components of National Handloom Development Programme. In order to provide marketing platform to the handloom agencies/weavers to sell their products directly to the consumers, financial assistance is provided to the States/eligible handloom agencies for organising marketing events in domestic as well as overseas markets.
3. Comprehensive Handloom Cluster Development Scheme
The Comprehensive Handloom Cluster Development Scheme (CHCDS) is implemented for development of Mega Handloom Clusters covering atleast 15000 to 25,000 handlooms and financial assistance as GoI share from Rs.40.00 to Rs.70.00 crore is in a period of 5 years. 8 mega handloom clusters taken up as announced in the Budgets i.e. Varanasi, Sivasagar (2008-09), Virudhunagar, Murshidabad (2009-10), Prakasam & Guntur districts and Godda & neighboring districts (2012-13), Bhagalpur & Trichy (2014-15).
Under the scheme, components like conducting Diagnostic Study, engaging Designer, Product Development, Corpus for raw material, Construction of Worksheds (for BPL/SC/ST/Women weavers), Skill up-gradation etc. are fully funded by Government of India, while the components like Technology up-gradation, Design Studio, including the Computer Aided Design System, Marketing Complex, Value Addition (setting up of garment unit), Common Infrastructure, Publicity etc., are funded by the GOI to the extent of 80%.
4. Yarn Supply Scheme:
Yarn Supply Scheme is being implemented throughout the country to make available all types of yarn at Mill Gate Price. The scheme is being implemented through National Handloom Development Corporation. Under the Scheme freight is reimbursed and depot operating charges @2% is given to depot operating agencies. A component of 10% price subsidy also exists on hank yarn, which is applicable on cotton, domestic silk and woollen yarn with quantity caps.
The Government of India is providing subsidy to the handloom sector to encourage handloom weavers with the following components:-
(i) 90% subsidy for purchase of looms & accessories.
(ii) 10% price subsidy on cotton, domestic silk, woollen and linen yarn in hank form with quantity restitutions.
(iii) 75% subsidy towards fee for beneficiaries belonging to SC/ST, BPL and women weavers for admission to NIOS and IGNOU courses.
(iv) 10% subsidy in the form of marketing incentive on average sales of handloom agencies for the last three years, of which 5% is borne by the Centre and 5% by the State.
(v) MUDRA Loan at subsidized interest rate of 6% for a period of 3 years.
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