Parliament Question: Empowerment of women textile workers in Telangana

GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF TEXTILES RAJYA SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO-1754 ANSWERED ON- 13/02/2026 EMPOWERMENT OF WOMEN TEXTILE WORKERS IN TELANGANA 1754. SHRI K.R. SURESH REDDY: Will the Minister of TEXTILES be pleased to state: (a) the number of women employed in the textile, handloom and powerloom sectors in Telangana, district- wise; (b) the details of financial assistance, credit support or subsidies provided to women-led textile and handloom enterprises or Self-Help Groups (SHGs) in Telangana during the last three years, year wise; (c) whether any specific schemes or outreach programmes have been implemented to support women artisans engaged in traditional crafts such as Ikat, Gadwal, Pochampally or Narayanpet, if so, the details of outcomes achieved; and (d) the steps taken to ensure social protection for women workers, including access to ESI, PF, maternity benefits, creches at workplaces and workplace safety standards in powerloom clusters? ANSWER THE MINISTER OF STATE FOR TEXTILES (SHRI PABITRA MARGHERITA) (a): Around 20,687 women are working in Handloom and Powerloom and Textile Sectors in Telangana State. District-wise details are enclosed as Annexure-I. (b) & (c): The following schemes are being implemented in the State for the benefit of women weavers along with men weavers. 1. Telangana Nethanna Podhupu: beneficiary will contribute 8% of their declared wages whereas the Under the Scheme, the Government will contribute 16% of their declared wages. With regard to the Powerloom Weavers, the beneficiary will contribute 8% of their declared wages and Government will contribute 8% to the beneficiary Account. 2. Telangana Nethanna Bhadratha: This Scheme provides group life insurance for all Handloom and Power loom Weavers and workers who are linked with Geo tagged looms involved in weaving related activities in the State of Telangana. In the event of death of an enrolled weaver and worker, regardless of the cause, a sum of Rs.5.00 lakhs will be paid to the nominee. 3. Telangana Nethannaku Bharosa: The Scheme is to provide wage support to Handloom weavers and Ancillary workers based on the No. of Telangana Authentic weaves labels issued each geo tagged loom, with a maximum support of Rs.18000/- per year to weaver and Rs.6000/- per year to Ancillary Worker. 4. Pavalavaddi Scheme: The Scheme is to reduce the burden of Interest on Handloom Weavers Cooperative Societies. 5. Loan Waiver Scheme: The Scheme to relieve the individual handloom weavers from the indebtedness so as to enable them to obtain fresh working capital from banks. The individual handloom weavers with a ceiling upto Rs.1.00 lakh each will be waived.Further, The Ministry of Textiles is implementing two schemes namely National Handicrafts Development Programme (NHDP) and Comprehensive Handicrafts Cluster Development Scheme (CHCDS) for development and promotion of handicrafts. The above schemes include intervention to improve the quality of the work and income of artisans by providing marketing support, skill development, cluster development, direct benefit to artisans, infrastructural and technology support, research and development support for cluster and individual artisans in the country including Telangana. (d): Social protection for women workers, the ESI, PF, maternity benefits, crèches have been provided in M/s Texport Industries and M/s Gokuldas Images Industries in Apparel Park at Peddur, Rajanna and Siricilla District, which are in the organized Powerloom sector. Annexure-I District wise details of the number of women employed in textiles, handloom and powerloom sectors in Telangana State (source: Telangana Government) S. Name of the District / Powerlooms & Handlooms Total No. Office Textiles 1 Yadadri Bhuvanagiri 5,389 487 5,876 2 Nalgonda 1,620 1,158 2,778 3 Suryapet 70 49 119 4 Jogulamba Gadwal 2,662 2 2,664 5 Wanaparthy 260 0 260 6 Nagarkurnool 1 0 1 7 Mahabubnagar 32 1 33 8 Narayanapet 574 2 576 9 Siddipet 108 0 108 10 Nizamabad 35 0 35 11 Medak 9 0 9 12 Sangareddy 25 0 25 13 Hyderabad 54 6 60 14 Rangareddy 637 0 637 15 Vikarabad 10 0 10 16 Medichal Malkagiri 81 0 81 17 Karimnagar 735 676 1,411 18 Mancherial 137 7 144 19 Komaram Bheem Asifabad 18 0 18 20 Jagityal 7 32 39 21 Peddapally 59 24 83 22 Warangal 1,114 62 1,176 23 Jayashankar Bhupalapally 407 0 407 24 Hanmakonda 207 38 245 25 Khammam 43 12 55 26 Mulugu 10 0 10 27 Mahabubabad 6 33 39 28 Jangaon 1,245 96 1,341 29 Rajanna Sircilla 81 2,366 2,447 Total 15,636 5,051 20,687 ****