Socio-Economic Welfare

Handloom industry occupies an eminent place in preserving country's heritage and culture, and hence plays a vital role in the economy of the country. Production in the handloom sector recorded a figure of 6900 million sq. meters in the year 2011-12, which is about 25 percent over the production figure of 5493 million sq. metres recorded in the year 2003-04. As an economic activity, handloom sector occupies a place second only to agriculture in terms of employment The sector with about 23.77 lakh handlooms provides employment to 43.31 lakh persons of whom, 77.9 per cent are women, and 28 per cent belong to Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes. Handloom sector contributes nearly 15 percent of the cloth production in the country and also contributes to the export earnings as 95 per cent of the world's handwoven fabric comes from India. However, this sector is faced with various problems, such as, obsolete technology, unorganised production system, low productivity, inadequate working capital, conventional product range, and weak marketing links. Further, handloom sector has always been a weak competitor against powerloom and mill sectors. Against this backdrop, the present work under the banner of Pratishthit Nari Pratishthit Saree, attempts to make an in depth study into the life and misery of handloom households Public Participation (PP) through Pratishthit Nari Pratishthit Sadi (P-N-P-S) campaign in sustainable development of Handloom culture, tradition and business will certainly help the decision makers like MSHC to acquire information about the public’s preferences. So, it plays a vital role in the decisions about choice and designing of garments specially sarees, and helps to formulate the design policies. PP through P-N-P-S is designed to help assure that the Nari’s will is done and implemented; it gives the opportunity for women representatives to be heard and to understand what will be done in a garment designing specially in Handloom Sector. On a legality side, PP through P-N-P-S gives legitimacy for decisions, support for plans and builds trust in Textile Commissionerate, handloom corporation, weavers and the end users. It will discuss the methods of PP interests, expectations and highlights the importance of the participation process in fulfilling people’s needs and requirements, it explains the benefits that will be gained in the future by enriching the weaver’s lifestyle and vision there by boosting the manufacturing capacity. MSHC and its GI tagged products has a special place in hearts of Indian women, a unique artistic and aesthetic style and a historical, traditional and cultural value.