Currentscenario of Handloom and Handicraft Industry in India:


As per the joint census of Handlooms andPowerlooms the handloomsector plays a very important role in the country's economy. It is one of thelargest economic activities providing direct employment to over 65 lakh peopleengaged in weaving and allied activities. This sector produced 4001 million sq. meters (Provisional) of cloth during 2007-08, up by7.5% over the corresponding period of 2006-07, almost 13% of the total cloth production.


The Handicrafts Sector play a significant &important role in the country's economy. It provides employment to a vastsegment of craft persons in rural & semi urban areas and generatessubstantial foreign exchange for the country, while preserving its culturalheritage. Handicrafts have great potential, as they hold the key for sustainingnot only the existing set of millions of artisans spread over length andbreadth of the country, but also for the increasingly large number of newentrants in the crafts activity. Presently, handicrafts contributesubstantially to employment generation and exports.


The handloom and Handicraft sector has, suffereddue to it being unorganized, with the additional constraints of lack ofeducation, low capital, and poor exposure to new technologies, absence ofmarket intelligence, and a poor institutional framework.


There are many associations working hard to make handloomand handicraft sector organized and noticeable.


Speaking with Fibre2Fashion Mr. Ramakrishnan Thoppian, Secretary - Kerala Textile Export Association, highlighted the followingpoints in concern with role of association:


Trade Association is always a vehicle to assist & guidethe entrepreneurs, to promote and develop the industry as a whole and updateall the related information to the members.


It has also more roles such as to liaise with Govt. agencies/variouspromotion councils, help to solve the problems faced by the members withvarious Government authorities.


Handloom and Handicraft industry in India is mainly in theunorganized sector and presently in the receding level due to its inherentnature like low productivity, shortage of skilled labor (as personal skill isthe key element of the product) and present exposure of better job availabilitywith better income for comparatively easy work. If the product does not show upthe skill of the handwork, it will not fetch the required level of premium tocover the cost of labor.


The Association acts as a bridge between the Industry andthe Government agencies on the following issues -


  • Identification and training of labor
  • Design development and product development
  • Raw material procurement
  • Marketing assistance(Domestic & Export)
  • Subsidies and incentives for domestic and export market
  • To propose the Government authorities/Ministry/Export Promotion councils about the various Budgetary support/needs.
  • Infrastructure development support
  • Help in implementing the different schemes introduced by the State/Central Government for labors.
  • To act as a bridge between the Industry and the Trade Unions on various labor related issues like wages, bonus, etc.
  • To advise the requirement of the Industry to the various regional advisory committees like Railways, Central Excise, Handloom & Handicraft etc.
  • To guide the educational institutions for their courses(fashion, technical, non-technical & managerial)
  • Protecting intellectual property rights(IPR)


Conclusion:


Main role of the association are as below:


  • Direct Marketing through Trade Fairs in both overseas as well domestic Folk Craft Festivals, Buyer - Seller meets etc.
  • Associations also do publicity and promotion through catalogs and product specific information booklets.
  • Publish monthly Newsletter to update members about latest happenings in handloom and handicraft sector.
  • Work as a Liaison with Government Department, Industry Association, Chamber of Commerce and other similar institutions.
  • Assist members in settlement of trade disputes with the buyers
  • Organize awareness seminars, open house meets, workshops, on various trade related issues
  • Invitation to reputed designers/trend forecasting agencies to interact with handloom/handicrafts members exporters.


Reference