To overcome the challenges being faced by handloom weavers due to Covid-19 pandemic, the Government has taken the following steps for their welfare:

1. Since it is not feasible to hold conventional marketing events such as exhibitions, melas, etc. due to COVID-19 pandemic, Handloom Export Promotion Council (HEPC) has been organizing International Fairs in virtual mode, facilitating marketing and sales of Handloom Products in the domestic as well as international markets. During the year 2020-21, 12 handloom fairs were organized by HEPC in virtual mode. The fairs have been attracting considerable attention from both domestic as well as international business entities. Besides, 53 domestic marketing events were also organized in different parts of the country for the weavers to market and sell their products.

2. During August-October 2020, 534 number of Chaupals were organized in various States to apprise the weavers about benefits under various handloom schemes.

3. To support the handloom and handicraft sectors and to enable wider market for handloom weavers/artisans/producers, steps have been taken to on-board weavers/artisans on Government e-Market place (GeM) to enable them to sell their products directly to various Government Departments and organizations. So far about 1.5 Lakh weavers have been on-boarded on the GeM portal.

4. To enhance productivity, marketing capabilities and ensure better incomes, 124 Handloom Producer companies have been formed in different States.

5. Design Resource Centres (DRCs) have been set up in Weavers’ Service Centres (WSCs) at Delhi, Mumbai, Varanasi, Ahmedabad, Jaipur, Bhubaneswar and Guwahati, through NIFT with the objective to build and create design-oriented excellence in the Handloom Sector and to facilitate weavers, exporters, manufacturers and designers access design repositories for sample/product improvisation and development.

This information was given in a written reply by the Minister of State for Textiles Smt. DarshanaJardosh in Rajya Sabha today.

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DJN/TFK