Overview
- An IHD/CCI report released Monday in New Delhi finds a prolonged slowdown in handloom and handicraft output and average pay of about Rs 270 a day for workers.
- Surveying Assam, Rajasthan, Tamil Nadu, Uttar Pradesh and West Bengal, the study counts over 60 lakh workers there and estimates 1.13 crore artisans nationwide, far above the Economic Survey’s 64.66 lakh.
- Over the past decade most handloom units in Assam, Tamil Nadu and Uttar Pradesh report shrinking output, and many craft units in Assam also contract, with recovery since Covid still uneven after shocks from demonetisation and GST.
- Union Textiles Minister Giriraj Singh says the government will expand 45‑day training, integrate geographical indication tags and build market links, with the model set to scale nationwide over the next six months.
- The report describes a household‑based, women‑heavy workforce with weak records and little access to credit, and it urges a nationwide survey plus stronger clusters, easier finance and roles for master craftspersons to reduce middlemen and open e‑commerce options.