IBNlive, Oct 11, 2011
BHAWANIPATNA: The handloom industry which once flourished in Kalahandi, is today struggling for survival. Tribal communities like Dom and Bhulias have given up weaving and switched to alternative professions for better livelihood.
The situation has worsened in the absence of government patronage, funds and marketing facilities to the handloom products. Even the Pata and Kosa weavers� face similar fate.
For instance, Parmanandpur village on the outskirts of Bhawanipatna was once famous for Pata and Kosa handloom products in the pre-Independence period. Today no weaver in this village takes up the work due to lack of patronage. Besides, there are only a few looms left. Sources said most of the weaver cooperative societies are either sick or lying defunct.
As per official records in the office of Assistant Director (Textiles), Kalahandi, there are 58 primary weaver cooperative societies registered in the district with 2,715 members. However, out of these, by August 2011, only 14 societies are in working condition having only 142 looms. The rest 11 societies are dormant and 33 have already been liquidated.� The Apex Handloom Weavers Society’s branch at Bhawanipatna has been lying defunct for several years now. It was set up to provide forward and backward linkage to the weavers. Besides, there is no arrangement for supply of raw materials to them.� To further add to their woes, the cash credit operation through the assistance of NABARD has been discontinued since 2005-06.
To improve the scenario, Directorate of Textiles conducts skill upgradation of weavers at regular intervals, but in the absence of financial help these measures are of little help.
Sources said to revive the industry, there is a necessity to develop clusters with components of skill upgradation, design development and marketing tie-ups.
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