The Government of India has been implementing several schemes to promote handloom textile industry, including Chanderi textiles, Santosh Kumar Gangwar, Minister of State (Independent Charge) in the Ministry of Textiles, said in a written reply in Lok Sabha (lower house) during the current session of the Indian Parliament.
Chanderi is a town in central Indian state of Madhya Pradesh, which is known for silk sarees, commonly known as Chanderi sarees.
A handloom cluster in Chanderi, for its integrated and holistic development was sanctioned under the Integrated Handloom Cluster Development Scheme (IHCDS). The cluster covered about 5,000 handlooms and was developed with Central Government’s share of Rs 2 crore.
Chanderi handloom cluster was implemented by the Ahmedabad-based Entrepreneurship Development Institute of India (EDI). In the cluster, various interventions like upgradation of existing dye house, setting up common facility centre, design and project development, engagement of designer, exhibitions and buyer seller meets, formation of web portal, skill development and technology upgradation, etc were implemented.
In addition, under the National Handloom Development programme (NHDP) introduced in 2013-14, having various components, including consolidation of clusters, EDI has been sanctioned consolidation of the Chanderi handloom cluster.
Informing about the funds released by the Government of India for financial assistance in favour of the Madhya Pradesh government in the last three years and the current year, the Minister said a total of Rs 12.44 crore was released. This included Rs 7.28 crore under IHDS, Rs 2.04 crore under Marketing & Export Promotion Scheme, Rs 2.07 crore under Revival Reforms & Restructuring Package for the Handloom Sector, and Rs 1.05 crore under the Comprehensive Handloom Development Scheme (CHDS).
The Union Government has also released assistance in the form of subsidy on Yarn to the Madhya Pradesh weavers to the tune of Rs 1.03 crore during the last three years and the current year, Gangwar said. (RKS)
