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SOURCING HUB - Handloom Clusters - PART I - The Integrated Handloom Cluster Development Scheme helping the handloom clusters grow

The pride of place – India’s handloom Industry

India's handloom industry has usually been associated with the image of craft,


what is often forgotten is that it is the second largest provider of employment in the country after agriculture. Given this, there is a definitive thrust by the Government to augment the sector and give it support to shape up into a well defined industry. One such initiative has been the development of handloom clusters. The main purpose of developing these clusters has apart from the agenda of social development and keeping a skill heritage alive, the vast potential available in working with handlooms. The strength ranging from flexibility of production in small quantities, openness to innovation, low capital investment and the magical design combinations that are possible. Being one of its kind, the export potential is tremendous as also its usage in the domestic market. Of the various schemes launched including development of Mega Clusters as per the budget, it is the Integrated Handloom Cluster Development Scheme set up across the country as projects in 20 places which is creating a role model as a base for sourcing particular fabric. 

The Integrated Handloom Cluster Development Scheme – By definition, “The Integrated Handlooms Development Scheme (IHDS) is an attempt to facilitate the sustainable development of handloom weavers located in and outside identified handloom clusters into a cohesive, self-managing and competitive socio-economic unit.” The clusters comprising 300 – 500 handloom units / weaves per cluster. The scope of the scheme to make the group self sustainable, to up grade the skills of handloom weavers to produce quality products, give design inputs, innovation, financial credit, create yarn banks, dyeing units, Market orientation by associating entrepreneurs, designers and professionals for marketing, designing and managing the production, To facilitate process of credit from financial institutions/banks. To encourage co-operativisation of weavers.

Holistic and flexible interventions to provide need based inputs specific to each cluster/group……The objective to make the cluster self sustained so that it can compete as a unit in the market.

(We cover the details of the Scheme in the next post….) 

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