March 8, 2002

LOK SABHA

SCHEME FOR DEVELOPMENT OF HANDLOOM

    The handloom weavers require adequate hank yarn in the required counts at reasonable prices and also credit and marketing facilities. In order to make available hank yarn in adequate quantities, the Government of India has been enforcing the Hank Yarn Obligation Order under which the mills are obliged to pack yarn of the prescribed percentage quantity and counts in hank form for use in the Handloom sector. In order to make available the hank yarn at reasonable prices, the Government of India has been implementing a scheme called Mill Gate Price Scheme through the National Handloom Development Corporation, under which yarn is supplied to weavers/ weaver’s societies at the price at which it is available at the Mill Gate. As regards credit, National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development (NABARD) has been extending refinance facilities to the handloom co-operatives and corporations through co-operative and commercial banks at concessional rates of interest for carrying out their production, procurement and marketing activities. For publicity, marketing and infrastructural support as well as for the welfare of handloom weavers, the Government of India has been implementing Development of Exportable Products and their Marketing Scheme apart from Welfare Schemes like Workshed-cum-Housing Scheme, Health Package Scheme, Thrift Fund Scheme and Insurance Schemes. Further, an integrated and comprehensive scheme called Deendayal Hathkargha Protsahan Yojana is also implemented by the Government of India under which assistance is provided for product development, infrastructural support, institutional support and marketing support. These schemes have been continued during the current financial year also for the overall development and promotion of the handloom sector and its weavers.

    This was stated by the Minister of State for Textiles, Shri V. Dhananjaya Kumar in a written reply in the Lok Sabha today.