The government celebrated the sixth National Handloom Day on August 7. PM Narendra Modi asked people to be “vocal for handmade” products to strengthen efforts for a self-reliant India.

Handloom sector

Handloom weaving is one of the largest economic activities after agriculture, providing direct and indirect employment to more than 43 lakh weavers and allied workers. Handloom sector is key to women empowerment as over 70 per cent of handloom weavers and allied workers are women.

This sector contributes nearly 15 per cent of the cloth production in the country and also contributes to the export earnings of the country. 

The export of handloom items during 2017-18 was Rs 2,280.19 crore.

To promote handloom in a big way, the ministry of textiles has undertaken many new initiatives. Steps have been taken to on-board weavers/ producers on Government e-Market place (GeM) to enable them supply handloom products directly to central government departments.

The ministry is also facilitating formation of producers companies across the country in the handloom sector as a thrust area with the objective to extend the benefits of various schemes to the weavers/workers, in particular to those who are either working independently or in the fold of Self-Help Groups/Producer Groups.

The Handloom Mark was launched to serve as a guarantee to the buyers regarding handloom products being purchased by them is a genuine handwoven product and not a powerloom or mill made product.  

The ‘India Handloom’ brand was launched to endorse the quality of the products in terms of raw material, processing, weaving and other parameters besides social and environmental compliances for earning the trust of the customers. 

National Handloom Day

The National Handloom Day is observed annually on August 7 to honour the handloom weavers in the country and also highlight India’s handloom industry. National Handloom Day seeks to focus on the contribution of handloom to the socio economic development of the country and also increase the income of weavers.

The first National Handloom Day was celebrated in 2015. August 7 was chosen as the National Handloom Day to commemorate the Swadeshi Movement which was launched in 1905 in Calcutta Town Hall to protest against the partition of Bengal by the British Government. The movement had aimed at reviving domestic products and production processes.

Highlights of sixth National Handloom Day

Textiles Minister Smriti Irani launched a mobile app and portal for Handloom Mark Scheme (HLM). Textiles Committee Mumbai has developed the app to completely digitise the process of registration. The app will enable the weavers located at any corner of the country to apply for Handloom Mark registration. This app helps ascertain the genuineness and originality of the product through unique and dynamic QR code labels affixed on each handloom product.

The minister also launched ‘My Handloom’ portal for individual weavers as well as other organisations for applying for various benefits under the various handloom schemes.

As many as 1,590 products have been registered under India Handloom brand, which has more than 180 product categories. The portal is a one-stop shop for information on all handloom schemes which will retain information, and will ensure transparency and provide real-time status update on applications under National Handloom Development programme, as also the information on various schemes/interventions such as Mudra loan scheme, weavers’ insurance, yarn supply, distribution of looms and accessories, number of trainings, etc. 

The virtual Indian Textile Sourcing Fair 2020 was also inaugurated to provide online marketing opportunities to weavers and handloom producers. Handloom Export Promotion Council is organizing the virtual fair from August 7-11 by taking a step towards realizing ‘Atmanirbhar Bharat’. The fair will connect more than 150 participants from different regions of the country showcasing their products with unique designs and skills.

Govt scraps All India Handloom Board

The textiles ministry has scrapped All India Handloom Board and All India Handicrafts Board. 

“In consonance with the vision of ‘minimum government and maximum governance’, a leaner government machinery and the need for systematic rationalisation of government bodies, the government of India has abolished All India Handloom Board,” a notification said ahead of National Handloom Day. 

The same reason was cited for abolishing All India Handicrafts Board. 

The All India Handloom Board was constituted on January 23, 1992 with the aim to advise the government in formulating policy for the overall development of the handloom sector. The Union Minister of Textiles was the chairman with official members from the central and state governments and non-official members from the handloom industry. 

The All India Handicrafts Board was established in 1952. It advises the government in formulation of the overall development programmes in the handicrafts sector, keeping in view socio-Economic cultural and artistic perspective.