Integrated Handloom Cluster Development Scheme

Introduction

When the era is of globalization and we have plentiful of imports from international markets of US and China, we need to observe that how far can our national products maintain their identity and create a more vivid presence. This has now become one of the critical issues to draw our attention. Here we have an undoubted advantage that is accepted even by those who want to shove our handloom industry to constraint it to the niche market. Orissa-Sambalpuri, Bengal-jamdani, Gujarat-leheria, Maharashtra-Paithan, Andhra-ikkat, the silks of Kanchipuram, and the list are endless. New varieties appear from time to time, like Manglagiri bordered fabric that swept the country long back is still going strong. Uniqueness of these handloom fabrics must be treasured, sheltered and armoured. The handloom industry is dispersed throughout the villages and cities, circumventing the effluence of concerted production as are there in powerlooms.

Many of the producer regions are closely linked to their local markets, others such as Chirala in Andhra supply distant but specific markets through composite trade and credit associations. If this blend of factors is considered to be an incredible asset that it is, and if policies can be framed to encourage and support the potency of the handloom industry, we can have a perfect opportunity to develop an unequaled textile industry. India has over 38, 00,000 weaving industries and more than 15, 00,000 domestic weaving industries have been set up in the states of North and Eastern parts of India. On the other hand, the southern states also have their huge share of weaving industries, for example, the southern state of Andhra Pradesh houses some 3, 20,000 weaving industries. Most of the clusters are situated in the states of Uttar Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, Orissa, and West Bengal. Along with these centers, the coastal areas of Andhra Pradesh also have numerous centers for weaving. All these sectors are engaged in the production of unique varieties of weaving products. Both the weaving sectors of northern and southern India are engaged in the weaving production for the domestic market only.

Though every State is home to a range of unique fabrics in hundreds of designs, colors and textures, kept alive by over 13 million weaver families, Indian fabrics constitute less than 2 per cent of the world textile trade. Even this is competitive because of the low wages paid to the weavers, who have demonstrated enormous resilience and sustained the industry by squeezing them. The government has introduced an Integrated Indian Handloom Clusters Development Scheme (IHCDS) in 20 selected handloom clusters of the country out of the 470 clusters in order to sustain and escalate the sector. Under this scheme, each of these 20 clusters is to be developed within four years at the cost of around Rs. 20 million. Each cluster comprises around 5,000 handlooms. Finest and exclusive handloom products developed by these 20 clusters under the IHCD scheme had been displayed in a handloom cluster gallery of an expo organized in 2009. Handloom and handicraft sector needs additional sops for development, pertaining to which the Textile Ministry will speak to the Commerce Ministry to prop up the sector.

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