FACE LIFT TO HANDLOOM SECTOR - An Imperative Beginning
The Hon'ble Finance Minister in his budget speech OF 2005-06 has stated that:
"I think it is necessary to lend further help to the handloom sector. The Government proposes to adopt the cluster development approach for the production and marketing of handloom products. The Ministry of Textiles will take up 20 clusters in the first phase at a cost of Rs.40 crore, and the amount will be provided during the course of the year".
Looking at the aforesaid situation, it has been felt that the cluster approach for the development of handloom sector where all the needs of the cluster are met would be an ideal solution to the travails of this sector. In fact this initiative of the government was also highlighted in the award ceremony of Handloom Export Promotion Council (HEPC) held at National Institute of Fashion Technology (NIFT, Gandhinagar) on 20th May 2005 by honourable Union Minister of Textiles, Shri Shankasinh Vaghela.
The objective of Integrated Handloom Cluster Development Scheme (IHCDS) being introduced in the year 2005-06 is five fold:
- To provide for development of handloom clusters in an inclusive and holistic manner to build their capacity to meet the challenges of the market and global competition in a sustainable and self reliant manner;
- To facilitate collectivization of handloom weavers and service providers to take up input procurement, production, marketing and other support activities;
- To provide for common infrastructure and services in a viable format in the cluster;
- To provide an environment of empowered and participative decision making among weavers;
- To encourage convergence of schematic assistance and support services from various schemes and programmes of various government and other agencies in the cluster to optimize resource utilization for betterment of the livelihood and quality of life of handloom weavers.

Latest news