Scheme for weavers mooted

In a bid to provide a fillip to the textiles sector, especially the weaver community, the government will introduce a new scheme ? Indira Gandhi Hathkargha Vikas Yojana ? in this year's budget.

In a bid to provide a fillip to the textiles sector, especially the weaver community, the government will introduce a new scheme — Indira Gandhi Hathkargha Vikas Yojana — in this year's budget.

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The scheme, with an outlay of Rs 300 crore, is aimed at providing employment to 100,000 weavers.

The scheme will benefit the sector that is the second largest provider of employment after agriculture, providing livelihood to 30 million people in the country.

The scheme will directly impact the highly-fragmented industry comprising people employed in handlooms, powerlooms, preweaving and postweaving activities such as texturising, doubling, cabling, and mercerising of yarns.

The move will take forward the government’s agenda to enable the textiles sector to meet the challenges poised by the competition under the new world trade order.

While a commitment to this effect was a part of the United Progressive Alliance government's ‘common minimum programme’, upliftment of the textiles sector has also been a long-standing demand of the DMK allies.

It also gels well with the government’s focus on promoting employment generating avenues through this year’s budget.

The step has also been necessitated by the need to provide additional funds to equip the sector to increase volume and compete with confidence in the post multifibre agreement era.

The complete elimination of the quota restrictions under the agreement by 2005 will not just be competition but a great opportunity for the Indian textiles sector. But, with present standards, the industry is ill-equipped to exploit this huge opportunity.