No state-wise fund allocation for handloom weaver skill schemes

The question asked the Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship to state if initiatives exist for skill development and entrepreneurship training in fashion designing for handloom weavers, particularly rural women, and to provide details on the number of workers benefited and expenditure incurred over the last three years and the current year.

Asked and answered by: Asked by Shri T R Baalu; Answered by Shri Jayant Chaudhary, Minister of State (Independent Charge) in the Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship.

What the government said

• The government states that the handloom sector engages over 35 lakh persons, including over 25 lakh female weavers.
• Under the Skill India Mission (SIM), training is delivered via schemes like PMKVY, JSS, NAPS, and CTS through ITIs.
• The SAMARTH scheme (Ministry of Textiles) provides demand-driven, placement-oriented skilling for the textile sector, including handlooms.
• The National Handloom Development Programme (NHDP) provides financial support for looms, worksheds, lighting, and design development, along with concessional credit under the Weaver MUDRA Scheme.
• 237 Handloom Producer Companies (HPCs) were formed under NHDP between 2020-21 and 2025-26.
• Approximately 1.50 lakh weavers/entities are onboarded on the Government e-Marketplace (GeM), and 5,413 weavers are on the 'India handmade' e-commerce platform (2023-24 to 2026-27).
• Total funds released for PMKVY, JSS, and NAPS from 2023-24 to June 2026 are detailed in a table (e.g., PMKVY: Rs 510.52 Cr in 2023-24; NAPS: Rs 594.30 Cr in 2023-24).
• Total funds released for the Samarth scheme from 2023-24 to June 2026 are detailed in a table (e.g., Rs 114.99 Cr in 2023-24).
• State-wise data is provided for workers trained under MSDE schemes (Annexure-I), Samarth (Annexure-II), NHDP infrastructure support (Annexure-III), and NHDP loans (Annexure-IV).
• NIFT collaborates with DC-Handlooms/Handicrafts for design projects, and six Indian Institutes of Handloom Technology (IIHT) offer diploma and B.Tech programs.

Also in the document

• The answer explicitly states that there is no state/district-wise allocation of funds under the NHDP and Samarth schemes, though state-wise data on beneficiaries and infrastructure is provided in annexures.
• The answer notes that funds for NAPS are released as stipends directly to apprentices (up to Rs 1500/- per month) rather than to establishments.
• The answer clarifies that day-to-day administration and financial control for the Craftsmen Training Scheme (CTS) implemented through ITIs lies with the respective State Government/UT Administration.