This policy outlines the Indian Ministry of Textiles' initiatives aimed at supporting handloom weavers across the country. Based on the Fourth All India Handloom Census 2019-20, there are 2,673,891 handloom weavers and 848,621 allied workers in the handloom sector. The Ministry is implementing the National Handloom Development Programme and the Raw Material Supply Scheme to increase weavers' income and uplift their living standards. The National Handloom Development Programme provides financial assistance for upgraded looms and accessories, solar lighting units, workshed construction, product design development, technical and common infrastructure, marketing support, concessional loans under the Weaver MUDRA scheme, and social security. The Raw Material Supply Scheme offers transport subsidies for yarn and a 15% price subsidy on cotton hank yarn, domestic silk, woolen linen yarn, and blended yarn of natural fibers. As of January 28, 2025, an online portal was launched to register new weavers and allied workers, edit existing weaver details, and download e-Pehchan cards. Approximately 15,000 handloom workers have been approved for e-Pehchan cards through this portal. The Minister of State for Textiles, Shri Pabitra Margherita, provided this information in a written reply to a question in Lok Sabha.
Key Entities Referenced
Ministry of Textiles: The Indian governmental ministry responsible for the formulation of policies, planning, development, and regulation of the textile industry.
Fourth All India Handloom Census 2019-20: A census report providing data on the handloom sector in India, including the number of weavers and allied workers.
National Handloom Development Programme: A scheme implemented by the Ministry of Textiles to provide financial assistance and support to handloom weavers and agencies.
Raw Material Supply Scheme: A scheme by the Ministry of Textiles that provides transport subsidy for yarn and price subsidy on various types of yarn to handloom weavers.
Pehchan card: An identification card provided to handloom workers enumerated in the All India Handloom Census.
Lok Sabha: The lower house of the Parliament of India.
Andhra Pradesh: A state in India with 1,27,662 handloom weavers.
Assam: A state in India with 11,07,428 handloom weavers.
Ministry of Textiles
HANDLOOM WEAVERS
Posted On: 19 AUG 2025 2:45PM by PIB Delhi
According to Fourth All India Handloom Census 2019-20 report, there are 26,73,891 handloom weavers and
8,48,621 allied workers in handloom sector across the country. Details for State/UT-wise number of
handloom weavers and allied workers in handloom sector are below.
To increase the income of handloom weavers and for their upliftment, Ministry of Textiles is
implementing following schemes across the country:
1. National Handloom Development Programme
2. Raw Material Supply Scheme
Under the National Handloom Development Programme, financial assistance is provided to eligible handloom
agencies/weavers for procurement of upgraded looms & accessories, solar lighting units, construction of
workshed, product & design development, technical and common infrastructure, marketing support for
handloom products in domestic/overseas markets, concessional loans under weavers’ MUDRA scheme and
social security etc.
Under the Raw Material supply Scheme, the Ministry provides transport subsidy for transportation of yarn to
the doorstep of the beneficiaries and 15% Price Subsidy on Cotton Hank yarn, Domestic Silk, Woollen &
Linen yarn and blended yarn of natural fibres.
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The handloom workers enumerated in the 4 All India Handloom Census have been provided either
Pehchan card or enabled downloading e-pehchan card across the country including Maharashtra
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and Madhya Pradesh. An online portal was launched on 28 January 2025 for new registration
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(left out from the 4 All India Handloom Census and new weavers and allied workers), editing the
details of the existing weavers and downloading of e-pehchan cards. Based on the registration in
the online portal, another 15,000 (Approx.) handloom workers have been approved for e-pehchan
cards. Hence, addition/deletion, updation etc. is dynamic and continuous process.
This information was provided by THE MINISTER OF STATE FOR TEXTILES SHRI PABITRA
MARGHERITA in a written reply to a question in Lok Sabha today.
MAM/SMP/NM
(Lok Sabha US Q4300)
State/UT-wise number of handloom weavers and allied workers
th
as per 4 All India Handloom Census 2019-20
No. of handloom No. of allied No. of total handloom
SN States/UTs
weavers workers workers
1 Andhra Pradesh 1,27,662 49,785 1,77,447
2 Arunachal Pradesh 77,600 17,016 94,616
3 Assam 11,07,428 1,76,453 12,83,881
4 Bihar 7,216 5,631 12,8475 Chhattisgarh 14,077 7,426 21,503
6 Delhi 3,236 1,049 4,285
7 Goa 22 4 26
8 Gujarat 10,179 422 10,601
9 Haryana 14,414 11,128 25,542
10 Himachal Pradesh 13,211 477 13,688
Jammu and Kashmir including
11 15,784 7,544 23,328
Ladakh
12 Jharkhand 12,364 10,133 22,497
13 Karnataka 27,175 27,616 54,791
14 Kerala 15,480 6,604 22,084
15 Madhya Pradesh 12,805 5,267 18,072
16 Maharashtra 2,882 627 3,509
17 Manipur 2,12,481 12,203 2,24,684
18 Meghalaya 41,221 1,553 42,774
19 Mizoram 17,298 10,242 27,540
20 Nagaland 35,950 7,534 43,484
21 Odisha 53,472 64,364 1,17,836
22 Puducherry 908 782 1,690
23 Punjab 631 338 969
24 Rajasthan 8,687 1,403 10,090
25 Sikkim 632 65 697
26 Tamil Nadu 1,97,818 45,757 2,43,575
27 Telangana 25,930 21,922 47,852
28 Tripura 1,11,927 25,712 1,37,639
29 Uttar Pradesh 1,30,778 60,179 1,90,957
30 Uttarakhand 7,967 4,594 12,561
31 West Bengal 3,66,656 2,64,791 6,31,447
All India 26,73,891 8,48,621 35,22,512
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(Release ID: 2157866)