The Ministry of Textiles has launched the National Handloom Development Program and the Raw Material Supply Scheme to promote the handloom sector and support handloom workers across the country.

The National Handloom Development Program provides financial assistance to eligible handloom organisations and workers for a variety of needs, including upgraded looms and accessories, solar lighting units, work shed construction, product and design development, technical infrastructure, and the marketing of handloom products both domestically and internationally.

A part of this program, the Weavers’ Mudra Loan/Concessional Credit Scheme offers margin money assistance to individual weavers and handloom organisations, along with interest subvention and credit guarantee fees on loans for a period of three years. Additionally, it introduces welfare measures for handloom workers include life and accidental insurance coverage and scholarships for their children’s higher education. The scheme also offers financial support to award-winning weavers over 60 years of age who are in indigent circumstances.

The Raw Material Supply Scheme provides transport subsidies for yarn delivery to the doorstep of beneficiaries and a 15 per cent price subsidy on cotton hank yarn, domestic silk, wool, linen yarn, and blended yarn of natural fibers.

This year, on National Handloom Day, celebrated on August 7, 2015, theministry launched the ‘India Handloom’ brand to promote high-quality, environmentally friendly handloom products. The brand has, since launch, issued 1,998 registrations across 184 product categories.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, the ministryalso implemented various measures to support handloom workers, including the AtmaNirbhar Bharat Abhiyaan, a special economic package to boost the economy and making India self-reliant. The package offered relief and credit support measures to eligible weavers and handloom organisations, and states and encouraged UTs to purchase finished inventory from handloom weavers.

Further, the ministry has established 151 Handloom Producer Companies (PCs) across the country to further enhance productivity and marketing capabilities. Additionally, handloom weavers have been onboarded onto the Government e-Marketplace (GeM), allowing them to sell their products directly to various government departments and organisations.