Open Forum
New
Delhi, 8 August 2019
Handloom Industry
CRITICAL CULTURAL HERITAGE
By Dr. S Saraswathi
(Former Director, ICSSR, New Delhi)
August 7, the Day when Aurobindo Ghosh, Bal
Gangadhar Tilak, Lala Lajpat Rai, Bipin Chandra Pal and others started the
Swadeshi Movement in 1905, was declared as the Handloom Day in India in 2015,
to create awareness among people about the importance of this sector as a rich
cultural heritage and about its contribution to socio-economic development. The
Day is also stretched as Handloom Week in some States. The occasion should not
be allowed to pass on with some ceremonial speeches or for pushing sales with
extra vigour. It’s time to bestow some serious thought to enriching this over
2000- year old handloom industry, which has survived several onslaughts and stands
today adjusting itself admirably to changing demands and tastes.
While khadi is being invoked in the name of
freedom struggle, handloom is linked with our cultural heritage and native
skill and as a traditional family occupation. As such, it has devout patrons as
well as bitter enemies. Handloom weavers once constituted an occupational caste
known by different names in different States – a factor unacceptable today. The
growth, decline and revival of handloom form part of our economic-social history.
India today produces nearly 90 per cent of
handloom products in the world, employing nearly millions of artisans. It does not
seem to be a dying industry as portrayed by some people. True, it is a struggling
industry fighting against many adverse factors. It can re-emerge as one of the
most promising industries as it has the ability to undergo a lot of
transformation without losing its unique characteristics. Handloom contributes about
13 per cent of total cloth produced in India. Very few countries -- Bangladesh,
Indonesia, Nepal, Norway, and Sri Lanka -- have handloom industry.
A genuine and total “Make in India” product,
handloom deserves to be promoted by the NDA government. The nation can reasonably expect a boom in
the industry. Handloom industry is second largest employment provider in rural
India next to agriculture. According to the Handloom Census of 2009-10, there
were 23.77 lakh handlooms employing 43.31 lakh weavers and allied workers. It is
considered a “green” industry as it does not cause noise, air, or water
pollution.
The term “handloom” refers to wooden frames
of various types used by skilled artisans to weave fabrics normally from natural
fibres like cotton, silk, wool, and jute. It is mostly run as a cottage
industry and as a family enterprise from spinning yarn to weaving on the loom. Handloom
represents various sources of knowledge – physical and historical – and more
importantly collective memories and indigenous knowhow. It combines art and
science.
Presently, handloom is famous for various weaving
styles that use machine spun yarns. Weaving styles specific to regions,
sub-regions, tribal motifs, geometric designs, etc., have come up and have earned
world-wide reputation for Indian handicraft in textiles.
Handloom went through a period of sharp decline
during the British rule when India was turned into an exporter of raw cotton
for manufacture of fabrics in Britain. Growth of mills in 1920s, high cost of
yarn, and unfair competition led to the decline of handloom giving rise to the khadi
movement in which boycott of foreign fabrics was an important programme. Mania
for foreign cloth also gripped some sections of people. Its revival started after
independence.
Since liberalisation of 1990s, handloom faces
more competition and needs State protection for survival. The cost of natural
fibre was growing, while the market was flooded with cheaper artificial fibre. Official
surveys of the Office of the Development Commissioner (Handloom) has estimated
that the number of weaver families reduced from 124 lakh in 1970s to 64 lakh by
1995 and to 44 lakh by 2010.
Handlooms and handicrafts are vital to the
country’s economy. Export of handloom products from India was valued at US
$355.91 million in 2017-18. These have the advantages of low capital investment
and high ratio of value addition offering employment opportunities for the
educated as well as uneducated skilled artisans. The sector absorbs noticeably
large female workforce.
The Textile Policy adopted by the Government
of India in 1985 introduced many changes in the unorganised sector cottage
industries based on traditional technology. Weavers on low wages were asked to
shift to powerlooms. Those on high wages weaving fine cloth were supported. The
policy promoted efficiency, productivity, and healthy competition among
handloom, powerloom, and mills. In 2010,
the revised policy aimed at maintaining a leading position for handloom in the
global market. Technological upgradation and foreign direct investment were
encouraged. Garment industry was removed from the list of small-scale industry.
Cluster schemes were introduced a decade ago
to aid growth in the sector with improved infrastructure, training in new
designing, adopting new technology and such direct interventions. Incentives in
the form of minimum support price for cotton farmers, upgradation of weaving
technology, and centres for trade promotion are extended.
Handloom production itself is region-specific
in every stage of production including skills of the weavers and has a unique
system of registration on geographic indicators (GI). Inclusion of GI under
Trade Related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights (TRIP) has benefited
Indian handloom industry to a great deal. GI tag is non-transferable.
In recent years policy has been revised
several times and in 2019, A New Integrated Textile Policy was adopted to
ensure sustenance of the industry in long-term. Several schemes of subsidies to
help the industry, including 10 per cent capital subsidy for new machines have
been announced. But, the industry is undergoing tremendous stress and for the
weavers a difficult time. Suicide of
weavers due to debt burden is a serious problem to be tackled at the earliest.
There is no dearth of promotional policies or
required governmental assistance for the handloom sector. But, we have to
protect decentralised growth so as to encourage innumerable varieties that make
the product so attractive. The tradition of family enterprise is not dead, but
weakened as new generations of weavers choose to migrate and take up more
rewarding occupations involving less physical exertion. Establishment of
cooperative societies has come to the rescue of this cottage industry. It will
be advantageous to continue the linkage between the owner, producer, and worker
in order to protect small enterprises in rural areas.
“India Handloom Brand” was launched in 2015
to authenticate the quality of the products on various parameters such as the raw
material used, processing, embellishment, design, etc. It is intended to ensure
quality and conformity to the unique characteristics of Indian handloom in all
products.
Government had tried policies of reserving particular
products like border sarees, dhotis, and bed sheets for handloom manufacture. In
these days, copying designs and patterns are very easy though methods of production
may vary. While considering efficacy of reservation policy, we may consider the
suggestion of using largely handloom in temples and other places of worship,
and in important national celebrations.
The biggest competitor to handloom is machine
fabrics also produced in India. But, handloom is indeed linked with our rich
culture including ethical, aesthetic, and family values, and religious beliefs
and rituals. It is a rich cultural heritage that fits well with modern life. ---
INFA
(Copyright, India
News & Feature Alliance)
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