Parliament Question: Weavers’ Distress in Nagarkurnool

LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 3917 TO BE ANSWERED ON 17.03.2026 WEAVERS’ DISTRESS IN NAGARKURNOOL 3917. DR. MALLU RAVI: Will the Minister of TEXTILES वस्त्र मंत्री be pleased to state : (a) whether the Government is aware of the severe distress faced by handloom and powerloom weavers due to rising yarn prices, lack of regular orders and delayed payments low wages and cradit sales in Nagarkurnool Lok Sabha Constituency, Telangana; (b) if so, the details and the number of active handloom weavers, defunct looms and closed units reported in the constituency during the last five years; (c) whether the benefits under schemes such as raw material supply, marketing support and direct benefit transfers are reaching the eligible weavers in time; (d) whether the Government has reviewed the ground-level implementation of handloom and powerloom schemes in Nagarkurnool; (e) whether any proposal exists for yarn subsidy, cluster development or revival package for the constituency and if so, the concrete steps taken or proposed to ensure sustainable livelihood and income security for weavers in the region; (f) the average monthly income of handloom households in the constituency vis-à-vis the minimum wage benchmarks and the details of credit, subsidy and insurance support extended to such weavers during 2023–24 and 2024–25; and (g) whether any livelihood sustainability or distress assessment has been undertaken and if so, the corrective measures proposed to prevent occupational migration of SC/ST weavers? उत्तर ANSWER वस्त्र मंत्री (श्री गिरििाज ग िंह) MINISTER OF TEXTILES (SHRI GIRIRAJ SINGH) (a) & (b): No information on severe distress faced by handloom and powerloom weavers in Nagarkurnool Lok Sabha Constituency, Telangana has been received by this Ministry. According to 4th All India Handloom Census 2019-20, there are 47,852 handloom workers with 17,095 handlooms in the State of Telangana. Census as well as schemes are done/implemented by State/District–wise and not by constituency-wise. (c) to (f): Ministry of Textiles is implementing central sector schemes such as (i) National Handloom Development Programme (NHDP) and (ii) Raw Material Supply Scheme (RMSS) to promote handlooms and for welfare of handloom weavers across the country including the State of Telangana. Under these schemes, financial assistance is provided to eligible handloom agencies/weavers for raw materials, procurement of upgraded looms & accessories, solar lighting units, construction of workshed, skilling, product & design development, technical & common infrastructure, marketing, concessional loans under weavers’ MUDRA scheme, social security, payment to awardee weavers in indigent circumstances, scholarship to the children of weavers etc. For Powerloom industry, central sponsored PowerTex Scheme was implemented up to 2020 and Amended Technology Upgradation Fund Scheme (ATUFS) was also implemented up to 2022.Before the schemes are continued/ new schemes are formulated, the impact study of the existing schemes are evaluated. Handloom sector is unorganized and weaving is mainly an individual based household activity to which minimum wages act is not applicable. (g): In order to encourage SC/ST communities, the Ministry of Textiles provides additional incentives to them to sustain and augment their business. Some of the benefits provided to SC/ST weavers across the country are:  Under schemes of handloom sector, preference is given to programmes which have weavers from SC/ST category.  There is 100% subsidy to SC/ST weavers for construction of work sheds under National Handloom Development Programme. ****