Weaving is practiced in India, since time immemorial. Evidences of the practice were found in the civilizations of Mahan-jo-daro, and Harappa. Indian handloom sector is the second largest rural employment generator in India.
It provides employment opportunities to 30 lakhs craftsmen; directly and indirectly comprising 23% of the total cloth manufactured in India. An NGO survey reveals that there are 38,00,000 handlooms in the country.
There are approximately 15,00,000 domestic handlooms in the north-eastern states. Andhra Pradesh has almost 3, 20,000 handlooms.
Despite all the chimes and laurels that it is the second largest industry of the country, handloom sector is now considered as a 'sunset' industry due to lack of modernization, mechanization, and sophistication of machineries.
Wages of the workers have not changed for the past 15 years. This keeps them below the line of poverty, and has forced the craftsmen into a dismal stage and they are expecting the Government to take adequate measures.
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Fibre2fashion News Desk - India
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