For each of the three preceding fiscal years, India has overachieved it targets set for textile exports, Minister of Textiles, Santosh Kumar Gangwar said in a written reply to the Rajya Sabha.
In fiscal year 2011-12, India exported textiles and apparels totalling to US $32.74 billion as against a target of $28.13 billion for the fiscal year.
In 2012-13, they touched $34.93 billion compared to a target of $31 billion and in 2013-14 reached $39.45 billion as against target of $34 billion.
In another reply, Gangwar said that to improve working conditions of handloom weavers and for sustainable development of handloom sector, Ministry of Textiles has initiated various schemes and programs.
Under the National Handloom Development Programme, there are two components; Comprehensive Handlooms Development Scheme and Revival, Reform and Restructuring Package for handloom sector.
Again under the Handloom Weavers Comprehensive Welfare Scheme, there are two components; Health Insurance Scheme for access to health care facilities and Mahatma Gandhi Bunkar Bima Yojana for life insurance.
The Ministry of Textiles also manages a yarn supply scheme and a Comprehensive Handloom Cluster Development Scheme.
For powerloom weavers/workers the Government of India has launched various schemes for improvement in their working condition.
Training and skill development programmes are being organized under Integrated Skill Development Scheme (ISDS) in various parts of the country by Weavers Service Centre (WSC).
This helps handloom weavers to produce diversified products with innovative use and improved quality to meet changing market trends and get remunerative prices.
The training and skill development programmes includes training in preparatory process, winding, sizing, graph making, manual designing, CATD designing, printing, dyeing, lattice making and card punching.
For powerloom weavers under Integrated Skill Development Scheme (ISDS) the training is imparted through 14 powerloom service centres of the Office of the Textile Commissioner.
Under the scheme, training related to basic weaving, shuttle less weaving, fitter-cum-jober, textile fabric design, fabric productions, high speed sectional warping, sewing machine operator, embroidery machine operator is imparted to improve their techniques. (AR)
