The Indian government is considering to reduce the rate of interest on the credit available to the handloom sector at par with the agriculture sector, and is also proposing to take up a census of handlooms and the restoration of 10% rebate scheme during the current year.
The Minister for Textiles, Shri Shankersinh Vaghela, said, the new schemes are expected to be launched in next two months.
He said that the handloom sector is the largest unorganized economic activity sector next to agriculture and constitute an integral part of the rural and semi rural livelihood. The sector today with about 35 lakhs looms provides employment to 65 lakhs persons, of which about 62.40% are women and about 35% belong to schedule castes and scheduled tribes.
He said, the 2006-07 budget will allocate Rs50 lakhs to develop 100 new clusters, and to open 230 yarn depots in the country. A "Technological Up-gradation Fund" will also be provided for the handloom sector.
He added that the conversion of handlooms to powerlooms en-masse is neither practicable nor desirable and all the three sectors-handloom, powerloom and mill will have to co-exist in perfect harmony.
According to statistics, the production of handloom cloth during the year 2005-06 is estimated at 6,188 million square meters, which is 8.14% higher than the previous year.
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