textiles Minister inaugurates camp on Weavers’ MUDRA loans and Hathkargha
Samvardhan Sahayata Schemes for Handloom weavers
textiles Minister
The Union Textiles Minister Smt.
Smriti Zubin Irani has announced that weavers will henceforth be able to avail
a wide array of Government services from Weavers’ Service Centres (WSCs). The
Minister said that besides providing technical assistance, the WSCs will serve
as a one-stop centre for weavers, providing various services, including banking,
passport, insurance, PAN card, voter ID and AADHAAR. The Minister added that
weavers will also be able to pay their electricity bills and undertake online
courses at WSCs. There are 28 WSCs under the Office of Development Commissioner
(Handlooms), Ministry of Textiles, functioning in various parts of the country.
Weavers visit these WSCs frequently, in order to avail technical assistance in
relation to their profession. The Minister informed that the Ministry of
Textiles will enter into an MoU tomorrow with Common Service Centres, which
will enable WSCs to provide the aforementioned services, beginning from this
year itself.
— Smriti Z Irani (@smritiirani) August 6, 2017
recalling the Prime Minister Shri
Narendra Modi’s words that the development of the North Eastern Region is
imperative for the development of India, the Minister informed the weavers that
the main event of third National Handloom Day will be held in Guwahati.
The Textiles Minister said that
the PM Jan Dhan Yojana has eliminated middlemen and enabled transfer of public
money directly to the bank account of deserving citizens. The Minister said
that around 25 crore citizens have got their bank accounts opened under PMJDY in last three
years. Noting that seven banks are participating in the camp for distribution
of loans today, Smt. Irani asked the woman weavers how often banks come to them
to provide banking services. The Minister expressed her satisfaction that more
than 250 women applied for MUDRA loans in just an hour after the camp started
functioning. She informed the 600-odd woman weavers present, that loans ranging
from Rs. 50,000/- to Rs. 10 lakh can be availed under MUDRA Yojana with no
requirement for any Security whatsoever. She said that this demonstrates the
faith reposed by the Government of India in the ability of its citizens to
contribute to national development by becoming self-reliant. The Minister
highlighted that handloom weavers in Sambalpur, Odisha, were able to improve
their earnings by more than 60% within three months of availing MUDRA loan. Smt.
Irani distributed MUDRA loan sanction letters to 50 weavers on the occasion,
and appealed to all weavers to apply for the loan and improve their incomes.
— PIB India (@PIB_India) August 6, 2017
Noting that loom repair and
upgradation is one reason why many weavers apply for loans, the Textiles
Minister informed the weavers that Hathkargha Samvardhan Sahayata Scheme addresses this issue. She
said that under this scheme, Government of India assists the weaver by bearing 90%
of the cost of new looms; on distributing the scheme certificates, the Minister
appealed more weavers to join the scheme so that they do not have to bear the heavy
financial burden of buying a new loom.
— Ghanshyam Goel (@PIBTextiles) August 6, 2017
Speaking of other initiatives
taken by the Ministry for the welfare of handloom weavers, Smt. Irani spoke
about the E-Dhaga app and the ‘Bunkar Mitra’ helpline. She said
that with E-Dhaga, subsidy is just a click away for the weavers. She
said that the app, which enables handloom weavers to order and track the
shipping of yarn, will be a boon for handloom weavers. This would enable them
to transact business anytime, anywhere; weavers can send their indents and
payments online through this app.
January 4, 2017 the Ministry launched ‘Bunkar Mitra’, the First Ever helpline
for handloom weavers. Available seven days a week, from 10 AM to 6 PM, the
issues faced by weavers are addressed in a time-bound manner through the
helpline. She asked every weaver present to note down the helpline number 1800-208-9988
and to use it extensively for their benefit.
Stating that education of
children is the primary concern of weavers, the Minister informed the weavers that
the Ministry of Textiles has entered into MoUs with Indira Gandhi National Open
University (IGNOU) and National Institute of Open Schooling (NIOS) whereby children
of weavers shall be able to avail school and university education, with 75% of
fees being borne by the Government of India.
The Minister requested the
weavers to participate in these schemes of the Government and reap their
benefits, for a better future for them and their families. She also reminded
them that while many other countries earned their freedom through the sword, India
achieved independence through the weapon of non-violence, of which ‘Charkha’
and ‘Suta’ (thread) were defining symbols.
Besides the big gathering of
600-odd woman weavers, Handloom Minister of Assam, Shri Ranjit Dutta; MLA Shri Pranab Kalita; Development Commissioner (Handlooms), Ministry of Textiles, Shri Shantmanu were
also present on the occasion.
The third National Handloom Day
will be celebrated across the country tomorrow, the main event being in
Guwahati.
chosen due to its special significance in India`s history; it was on this day
that the Swadeshi Movement was launched in 1905. The formal proclamation of
Swadeshi Movement was made on August 7, 1905 in a massive meeting in the
Calcutta Town hall. The movement involved revival of domestic products and
production processes. The Government of India has declared August 7 as National
Handloom Day every year, in memory of this.
GG/DJM
