Handloom

The handloom industry plays a dominant role in the economic development of the rural people. The handloom is scattered in the rural and semi-urban areas. The handloom industry is playing an important role in providing large-scale employment in Tripura. There are about 1,36,334 weavers in the State, out of which 10,983 weavers are in the clusters. The development of this handloom industry helps in the natural upliftment of the rural people. Including the weaker and backward sections.

Tripura is one of the small States of North Eastern Region, which has some unique traditional design and arts in Handloom textile. These earliest skillful arts have its own place of pride, even today. These arts are survived despite of all odds. These elegant art and design are mainly of Tribal and Manipuri communities.

The support services, and forward-backward linkages to the weavers like skill upgradation, publicity, participation of Handloom Primary Co-operative Societies in the Handloom expo in the State level and outside the State. Marketing support, providing welfare benefit to the weavers through implementation of various schemes with joint action of State and Central Governments as below:

Integrated Handloom Development Scheme:

The Scheme is introduced by the Development Commissioner for Handlooms, Ministry of Textiles, Government of India during 11th Plan period. The scheme is unique for the overall development of handloom industry. There are provision for skill upgradation to the weavers with improved looms and accessories, basic in-puts component, i.e. looms, accessories, margin money, workshed etc.

13-project proposals under Integrated Handloom Development Scheme (IHDS) during the years 2007-08 and 2008-09 to an amount of Rs.154.26 lakhs has been released by Government of India for the cluster approach. So far, an amount of Rs.92 lakhs was spent for undertaking training and placement of corpus fund to the National Handloom Development Co-orporation Ltd. for the Yarn Bank as well as payment of designing etc.

For development of new and diversified designs, the designers have been engaged and posted in the each cluster. Now, the designers are developing new designs with the help of traditional weavers.

In 2009-10, the Development Commissioner for Handlooms, Ministry of Textiles has sanctioned 5-IHDS under the cluster approach. The Development Commissioner for Handlooms has approved @ Rs.60 lakhs in each cluster under the new initiatives.

Health Insurance Scheme:

This is a welfare scheme for providing better health care facilities to the handloom weavers. The Health Insurance Scheme aims at financially enabling the weaver community to access the best of health care facilities. The scheme is to cover not only the weaver but his wife and two childrens, to cover all pre-existing diseases as well as new diseases and keeping substantial provision of OPD. The ancillary workers are also eligible for coverage under the scheme.

In 2009-10, 25,552 weavers have been covered under the Scheme. Out of total 527 claims by the weavers, 350 cases have been settled settlement by the ICICI Lombard.

Mahatma Gandhi Bunkar Bima Yojana:

This is a welfare scheme for providing General Insurance to the handloom weavers of the State. During the year 2008-09, 705 weavers have been enrolled and 5 weavers have been benefited by providing insurance benefit.

The Govt. of India has introduced the Mahatma Gandhi Bukar Bima Yojana with the objective to cover the handloom weavers in the case of natural as well as accidental deaths and also for the cases of total disability.

1,259 weavers have so far covered under the Scheme during till 2009-10. There were 7 claims for normal death till 2009-10.

10% rebate:

Under the Scheme, the Primary Handloom Weavers Co-Operative Societies and State level Handloom Organizations are getting financial assistance @ 10% against cash sale of handloom goods in various occasion / festivals.

District level Handloom fairs:

In 2009-10, 4 District Level Handloom fair have been organized at Panisagar and Kailashahar of North Tripura District, Kamalpur of Dhalai District and Manubazar of South Tripura District. Through these fairs about Rs.50 lakhs handloom fabrics have been sold and the weavers got marketing support, directly.

Skill up-gradation training programme:

Adoption of the latest technical know-how for sustaining the activity for better returns of the skillness of semi-skilled weavers are up-graded by imparting training on new techniques and design with the help of Weavers Service Center, a Central Government organization. The stipend is being given for undergoing training to the trainees. After completion of the training programmes, the weavers have been provided required looms and accessories to start onwards production. In 2009-10, 360 weaves have been trained under State Plan fund.

Group approach:

17 Group approach scheme have been sanctioned during the year 2008-09. For implementation of the project implementing officers have been engaged. The scheme is under implementation. In 1st phase skill up-gradation training have been started in 7 groups & after complementation of the training programme basic components will be provided to the weavers such as providing of looms 7 accessories, margin money, dobby, jacquard etc.

After completion of training of 1st phase of Group approach scheme, training of 2nd phase will be started in 10 (ten) nos. of groups. During last financial year 2009-10, 42 Nos. of project proposals under Group approach scheme have been sent to Government of India for consideration & sanction. Perhaps these will be sanctioned this year for implementation.

Production of silk fabrics:

For production of silk fabrics in large quantity 5 Primary Weavers Co-operative Societies have been identified i) Netaji TSSS Ltd., ii) Mahuripur TSSS Ltd., iii) Sukanta TSSS Ltd., iv) Adarsha TSSS Ltd. and v) Maharshi Vibekananda TSSS Ltd. Moreover, 2 handloom clusters have been identified for production of traditional fabrics silk, which are i) Shankhala handloom cluster and ii) Golaghati handloom cluster.

Source: Economic Review of Tripura 2009-10