## Policy Summary: National Handloom Development Programme (NHDP)
The Ministry of Textiles implements the National Handloom Development Programme (NHDP) to provide financial assistance to eligible handloom agencies and workers. This assistance is disbursed as Central Grants through various components, including the Cluster Development Programme, Handloom Marketing Assistance, Weavers Mudra Loan, and Weavers Welfare initiatives. Funding is contingent upon receipt of complete project proposals from State/UT Governments and the availability of funds within the relevant budget heads for the financial year.
Under the Cluster Development Programme and Handloom Marketing Assistance components, funds are released to State/UT Governments in two installments. The second installment is released upon submission of a Utilization Certificate demonstrating at least 70% utilization of the first installment, along with supporting documentation and funding requirements for the second installment. To ensure timely project implementation and fund utilization, the NHDP projects are monitored through:
1. Review meetings and field visits by Senior Level officers of the Ministry.
2. State Level Project Committees (SLPC) chaired by the State Commissioner/Director of Handloom Textiles.
3. Local Committees chaired by the Head of Office, Weavers' Service Centre (WSC), with a representative from the State Directorate of Handloom Textiles.
As per the 4th All India Handloom Census 2019-20, there are 35.22 lakh handloom workers (weavers and allied workers) in India. These workers have been provided with either a Pehchan card or access to download an e-Pehchan card. An online portal was launched on January 28, 2025, to facilitate new registrations, updates to existing weaver details, and e-Pehchan card downloads. Approximately 15,000 additional handloom workers have been approved for e-Pehchan cards through this portal.
From 2021-22 to June 30, 2025, approximately 6.27 lakh handloom workers have benefited from various NHDP components, including the Cluster Development Programmes (CDP), Weavers Mudra Loan, Insurance, and Weavers Welfare initiatives.
This information was provided by the Union Minister for Textiles, Shri Giriraj Singh, in a written reply to a question in Lok Sabha on July 29, 2025.
Key Entities Referenced
Ministry of Textiles: The Indian government ministry responsible for the formulation of policy and regulation of the textile industry.
National Handloom Development Programme (NHDP): A program by the Ministry of Textiles to provide need-based financial assistance to handloom agencies and workers.
Cluster Development Programme: A component of the NHDP providing financial assistance for cluster development.
Handloom Marketing Assistance: A component of the NHDP focused on providing assistance for handloom marketing.
Weavers Mudra loan: A component of the NHDP providing loan assistance to weavers.
All India Handloom Census 201920: A census conducted to enumerate handloom workers in India.
SHRI GIRIRAJ SINGH: UNION MINISTER FOR TEXTILES
Lok Sabha: The lower house of the Parliament of India.
Ministry of Textiles
SUBSIDIES UNDER NHDP
Posted On: 29 JUL 2025 4:11PM by PIB Delhi
Under National Handloom Development Programme (NHDP), need based financial assistance in the form of
Central Grant is provided to eligible handloom agencies/handloom workers through various components like
Cluster Development Programme, Handloom Marketing Assistance, Weaver’s Mudra loan, Weaver’s welfare
etc. on receipt of complete project proposals from States/UTs Governments and availability of fund in the
respective financial year in relevant budget heads. Further, under Cluster Development Programme and
Handloom Marketing Assistance components of NHDP, funds are released to States/UTs Governments in two
st nd
installments, 1 installment is released an advance and 2 (final) installment is released on submission of
st
Utilization Certificate of atleast 70% funds of 1 installment and relevant supporting documents, requirement
nd
of fund as 2 installment etc.
To ensure timely submission of proposals by the States/UTs Governments and released of funds by the
Ministry, the targets under different components of NHDP are issued in the beginning of the respective
financial year. Further, to ensure timely implementation of projects & utilization funds under National
Handloom Development Programme, projects are monitored by (i) Senior Level officers of the Ministry
through review meetings and field visits (ii) State Level Project Committee (SLPC) chaired by State
Commissioner/Director of Handloom & Textiles concerned and (iii) Local Committee chaired by Head of
Office, WSC concerned with representative of Directorate of Handloom & Textiles of concerned State.
th
As per 4 All India Handloom Census 2019-20 report, there are 35.22 lakh handloom workers
th
(weavers & allied workers) in India. The handloom workers enumerated in the 4 All India
Handloom Census have been provided either Pehchan card or enabled downloading e-pehchan
the th
card. An online portal was launched on 28 January 2025 for new registration (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.
Since, 2021-22 to 2025-26 (till 30.06.2025) about 6.27 lakh handloom workers have been benefited through
various components like Cluster Development Programmes (CDP), Weaver’s Mudra loan, Insurance,
weaver’s welfare etc. under NHDP.
This information was provided by UNION MINISTER FOR TEXTILES SHRI GIRIRAJ SINGH in a
written reply to a question in Lok Sabha today.
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MAM/SMP
(Lok Sabha US Q1473)
(Release ID: 2149712)