KOLLAM: In a move aimed at bringing back the glory of the state’s ailing handloom business,the LDF Government has come out with a revival package for the traditional sector.
As per the blueprint which would usher in sweeping changes in the sector, traditional weavers, who had been forced to go in search of greener pastures owing to lack of work and poor wages, would be wooed back and cooperative societies that closed shop would be persuaded to resume functioning.
According to officials with the Directorate of Handlooms and Textiles,some 3,400 traditional weavers to be roped in during the initial phase will be assured work for 300 days.
“The government’s plans for reviving the handloom sector is both innovative and challenging. It has been found that the market is flooded with handloom and powerloom cloth manufactured in other states. On account of this, our products don’t get enough brand recall. The aim now is to dissuade the handloom and powerloom products of other states, thereby promoting indigenous products,” said K Sudhir, Director of Handlooms and Textiles.
According to him, “Bringing back the traditional weavers, who had left the field was an ambitious programme.”
Besides,the government move is apparently intended to reduce the state’s reliance on Tamil Nadu-based cooperative societies for dyeing the handloom products.
According to the Director of Handlooms and Textiles, a recent directive from the government sought to put an end to the outsourcing of the dyeing business within five months and to look into the resources available in Kerala.
Free uniform fabric to government schools Meanwhile, it has been found that the initial step towards achieving the said goals will be through a programme in which 360 handloom cooperative societies will be asked to produce 30 lakh metre of handloom cloth. The cloth thus produced will be offered free of cost as uniform fabric to 13.50 lakh students of Class I-V in government and aided schools, in the next academic year. Most importantly, it is believed that such a programme could ensure employment to 3,400 weavers, with each weaver required to produce six metre of handloom cloth daily.
Commenting on the programme, Sudhir said, “The main aim of the programme is to make the handloom sector stable in the next one or two years. We believe that the employment generation will attract more weavers to the sector and so far the response from the weavers has been pretty good. At the same time, it might be rather premature to comment on the success of the programme as we might have to wait for one month before taking stock.”
Finance Minister’s relief to handloom/powerloom
Earlier, during the Revised Budget Speech, Finance Minister Dr T M Thomas Isaac had set aside `71 crore for handloom and powerloom industries. In addition to this, `30 crore was earmarked for market intervention and income assurance scheme. It was during the Budget speech that the Finance Minister declared that from next year onwards, uniforms will be given free of cost to students of Class I-VIII in government and aided schools, which was later revised as Class I-V for effective implementation.