## Policy Summary: Assessment of Income and Working Conditions of Women in the Handloom Sector
This document summarizes information provided by the Union Minister of Textiles in response to a question in Rajya Sabha on July 25, 2025, regarding the income and working conditions of women in the handloom sector.
According to the Fourth All India Handloom Census 2019-20, there are a total of 3,522,512 handloom workers in India, comprising 975,733 men, 2,546,285 women, and 494 transgender individuals. State-wise data on the gender distribution of handloom workers is provided in the annexure.
While the government has not conducted a specific study to assess the income levels and working conditions of women in the handloom sector, independent third-party evaluations of schematic interventions have demonstrated improvements in weavers' earnings, number of working days, and overall working conditions.
The data was released by PIB Delhi.
Key Entities Referenced
Ministry of Textiles: The Indian government ministry responsible for the formulation of policy and coordination of textile industry matters.
Fourth All India Handloom Census 201920: A census report providing data on handloom workers across India.
SHRI GIRIRAJ SINGH: The Union Minister of Textiles at the time the information was provided.
Rajya Sabha: The upper house of the Parliament of India, where a question was raised regarding the handloom sector.
Andhra Pradesh: A state in India with a significant number of handloom workers.
Assam: A state in India with a significant number of handloom workers.
Tamil Nadu: A state in India with a significant number of handloom workers.
West Bengal: A state in India with a significant number of handloom workers.
Ministry of Textiles
STUDY TO ASSESS INCOME AND WORKING
CONDITIONS OF WOMEN WORKING IN
HANDLOOM SECTOR
Posted On: 25 JUL 2025 1:55PM by PIB Delhi
According to Fourth All India Handloom Census 2019-20 report, there are 35,22,512 handloom workers
across the country. Out of which 9,75,733 are male, 25,46,285 are female, & 494 are transgender. Details for
gender-wise and State-wise data on workers in handloom sector are annexed as below.
A specific study for assessment of the income level and working conditions of women working in the
handloom sector has not been done by the Government. However, the performance of schematic interventions
has been evaluated by independent third-party agencies and the study shows that these interventions have led
to an increase in the earnings and the number of working days and have improved the working conditions of
the weavers.
This information was provided by UNION MINISTER OF TEXTILES SHRI GIRIRAJ SINGH in a written
reply to a question in Rajya Sabha today.
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MAM/SMP
State/UTs-wise & gender-wise details of handloom workers
State Male Female Transgender
Andhra Pradesh 91,030 86,398 19
Arunachal Pradesh 20,717 73,871 28
Assam 1,04,089 11,79,507 285
Bihar 6,390 6,444 13
Chhattisgarh 11,773 9,730 0
Delhi 2,066 2,219 0
Goa 1 25 0
Gujarat 5,875 4,725 1
Haryana 11,463 14,078 1
Himachal Pradesh 3,629 10,059 0
Jammu And Kashmir 9,352 13,973 3
Jharkhand 10,881 11,614 2
Karnataka 26,597 28,192 2
Kerala 7,909 14,175 0
Madhya Pradesh 8,803 9,269 0
Maharashtra 2,242 1,266 1
Manipur 13,319 2,11,327 38Meghalaya 12,445 30,320 9
Mizoram 5,454 22,083 3
Nagaland 6,339 37,142 3
Odisha 60,167 57,640 29
Puducherry 607 1,083 0
Punjab 637 332 0
Rajasthan 3,844 6,244 2
Sikkim 24 673 0
Tamil Nadu 1,17,025 1,26,549 1
Telangana 24,589 23,245 18
Tripura 44,047 93,589 3
Uttar Pradesh 97,900 93,054 3
Uttarakhand 3,964 8,595 2
West Bengal 2,62,555 3,68,864 28
All India 9,75,733 25,46,285 494
****
(Release ID: 2148298)