During the current year the Ministry of Textiles has formulated three new schemes exclusively for implementation in the North Eastern States. These Schemes are North Eastern Textile Promotion Scheme, Scheme for usage of Geotextiles in the North Eastern States and Scheme for Promoting Agrotextiles in North Eastern States.

The Government has taken various initiatives to address the issue of deficit of trained manpower in the handloom sector and bridge the gap between the skill and the market requirement.  The Scheme of Integrated Skill Development for Handloom workers targets to create a pool of 50,900 trained weavers in the span of five years from 2012-13.  Skill upgradation is also one of the important inputs in the cluster development programme of Integrated Handloom Development Scheme (IHDS). 

For the betterment of skilled labour in the handloom sector, the government has introduced policy initiatives such as cluster development approach, marketing promotion, revival of viable and potentially viable societies through loan waiver and recapitalization assistance, availability of subsidized yarn and credit etc. In addition, life insurance and health insurance coverage is also being provided to handloom workers.

The government is implementing a number of schemes such as (i) Baba Saheb Ambedkar Hastshilp Vikas Yojana (AHVY), (ii) Design & Technical Upgradation Scheme, (iii) Marketing and Export Promotion Scheme and (iv) Handicraft Artisans Comprehensive Welfare Scheme with components of life insurance and health insurance for the betterment of handicrafts artisans.

Similarly, for the betterment of sericulturists, the government is implementing schemes such as Catalytic Development Programme.

In addition, the Government has introduced the Integrated Skill Development Schemes (ISDS) in 2010-11 with the objective of creating a skilled workforce for the textile sector. Under this scheme, a total of 1,00,000 persons have been trained since the beginning of the scheme. An outlay of Rs.1900 crore has been provided for training 15 lakh persons during the 12th Plan.

Ministry of Textiles