The Government is planning to introduce 'Handloom Mark' on the pattern of Silk Mark. The Minister for Textiles, Shri Shankersinh Vaghela while addressing the distribution function of Cashless Health Insurance Cards to Handloom Weavers said, the development of Handloom is in the priority list of the Government.
On the occasion, the Textile Minister called upon the weavers to make innovative experiments in the handloom production by adding some new value edition, designs and variety of products. Expressing concern over the non-participation of few States, he said that the States should come forward to implement the Centre's policies because they are the implementing agencies.
Shri Vaghela said that the Handloom sector today with about 35 lakhs looms provides employment to 65 lakhs persons, out of which about 62.40 percent are women and about 35 percent belong to Schedule Castes and Scheduled Tribes. He said, that the production of handloom cloth during the year 2005-06 is estimated at 6188 million square meters which is 8.14 percent higher than the production of the year 2004-05.
The Textile Minister informed that during the year 2005-06, two lakhs and sixty two thousand weavers have been covered under the Health Insurance Scheme and 2.05 lakhs handloom weavers were covered under the Mahatma Gandhi Bunkar Bima Yojana Scheme.
Shri Vaghela along with the Minister of Industries of NCT of Delhi, Shri Mangat Ram Singhal distributed Health Insurance Cards to 250 weavers of Delhi. The Development Commissioner (Handlooms), Shri B.K.Sinha was also present on the occasion.
Press Information Bureau Government of India
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