The number of Handloom weavers and allied workers as per the Second Census of Handlooms of India (1995-96) and Third Handloom Census of India (2009-10) are:
 
Sr. No.
 Census
 Number of Handloom Weavers and Allied Workers      (in lakhs)
 
1
 Second Census (1995-96)
 65.50
 
2
 Third Census (2009-10)
 43.31
 
Factors identified for the decline of Handloom Sector, inter alia, include,  (i) competition with mechanized sector such as mill and powerloom Sectors,   (ii)  decline of handloom corporations/Apex  Cooperative Societies (iii) high cost of credit & low disbursement of credit for the handloom weavers, (iv) Choking of cooperative credit lines due to debt over-dues and (v) marketing problems etc. This information was given by the Minister of State for Textiles, Smt. Panabaaka Lakshmi in a written reply in the Lok Sabha today to a question raised by Shri A.T. Nana Patil and Shri Hansraj G. Ahir.
 
The Minister further stated that the although, the number of handloom weavers and allied workers has declined, yet improvement in various other parameters has also been reported in  2009-10 Census over 1995-96 Census.  The details are as under :

Sr. No.
      Indicator
 2009-10 Census
 1995-96 Census
 
1.
 Man days worked per weaver per annum (days)
 234
 197
 
2.
 Share of full time weavers to total weavers
 64%
 44%
 
3.
 Share of weaver households  reporting less than a metre production
 46%
 68%
 
4.
 Share of Idle looms
 4%
 10%
 

For the development of Handloom Sector and welfare of Handloom weavers, five Schemes  are under implementation, which are  (i) Integrated Handlooms Development Scheme, (ii) Handloom Weavers’ Comprehensive Welfare Scheme (iii) Marketing & Export Promotion Scheme (iv) Mill Gate Price Scheme  and (v) Diversified Handloom Development Scheme, the Minister added
 

Further, in pursuance of the recommendations of High Level Committee, constituted under Managing Director, National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development (NABARD) and keeping in view the observations and suggestion of Ministry of Finance (Department of Expenditure), a revised package had been submitted to Ministry of Finance, which was under scrutiny. The proposals inter-alia include: (i) Waiver of overdue interest and overdue loans of Societies (ii) Recapitalisation of the balance sheet of Primary Weavers Cooperative Societies and State level Apex Societies with adequate fund support from Government; (iii) Financing the credit needs of handloom weavers/ societies at lower rate of interest with interest subvention etc. Now, in the Budget speech delivered on 28.02.2011,  the Finance Minister has announced a financial package in the Annual Budget 2011-12. The package, with a financial implication of Rs. 3000 crore, benefits  more than 15000 handloom weavers cooperative societies, the Minister added.

PQ 1- USQ 1574 LS
 

RM/JL

(Release ID :70550)