Introduction
Burdwan holds an important and considerable position in the
handloom industry in West Bengal. Though this district is well-off with natural
resources, a significant figure of people under rural sector preserves their living
from this cluster heritage through conventional skills of handloom weaving. There
are about 94000 weavers at Burdwan cluster either on a full-time or part-time
work basis. Apart from this, there are extraordinary designers, dyers, card
makers, traders and supplementary support providers. Approximately, 60% of
weaver force is from the neighboring villages of the cluster while 40% weavers
are from outside the West Bengal especially from North Bengal District.
Jamdani and Tangail sarees with special varieties like Naksa
par, Butik etc cotton Baluchari, Silk/ cotton Baluchari saree which has been
described as one of the most extremely valued products of Indian Textiles
tradition. This cluster is an established producer of this type of heritage
handloom products in West Bengal. Due to its uniqueness and craftsmanship it
is beyond the affluence for competition with power loomed sarees. Different
varieties of sarees produced in this cluster are very much popular and well
accepted for its accomplished craftsmanship and elitism. In this cluster, funds are provided under
Handloom Export Schemes. Out of nine, six of the societies have started
exporting their products after receiving I.E.C. no. and rest no. of PWCS are in
process to get the number. At least 180 weavers, covering 15 PWCS are busy in
production of exportable fabrics.
Fibre2fashion.com
had an elite discussion with Mr. S. Badhopadhyaya, Cluster Development
Executive of Burdwan Cluster. In this conversation he highlighted about the initiatives
taken by the Government for the development of the cluster:
Government has facilitated collectivization of individual
weavers by forming Self Help Groups (SHG), ensures support linkages of SHGs
with Weavers Service Centre, National Institute of Fashion Technology, State
Apex, Textile Committee and NHDC for skill up-gradation, marketing, design
development and procurement of yarn. It provides format credit linkages through
financial institutions like co-operatives/ commercial banks for SHGs, and
encourages convergence of the schematic assistance from various schemes of
State /Central Govt. for the weavers of this cluster to optimize resource
utilization.
Features
These are some features of the cluster that have been
brought out in light:
- Around 75 to 150 designs are made per annum.
- Designers have their own clients, mostly.
- Out of all designs only 60% get sold off.
- The designers get cash payment against production of
design as well as graph work.
- Most of the designers produce the design for jacquard
woven sarees.
- Some designers are trained at WSC, NIFT, and Kolkata
- Maximum designers have hardly seen a design
workshop/exhibition/ design samples of different states.
- Annual income of a designer on an average may be
anything between Rs. 28000/- to 40000/-.
Mr. S. Bandhopadhyaya in his interaction with us told about
the facilities provided to the weavers. He said:
- 150 Self Help Groups formed covering 2046 weavers and
an amount of 60.66 Lacs loan have been sanctioned to them from District
Lead Bank for financial support.
- Marketing channel developed with big houses like State
Apex, Handloom House, CCIC, apart from direct participation in different
Exhibitions and Expos being organized all over India for retail sales of
exclusive products of clusters. An amount of ` 307.57 Lacs retail sales
have been generated during last four years.
- To strengthen Industrial association & build the
capacity between weavers, seven consortium/association covering 2954
weavers have been formed and all are registered under different Act in West Bengal.
- Need based design with value addition, developed for
cluster through qualified designer appointed for cluster.
