
The Government of India is going to remove Hand Loom Reservation Act, which is giving some extent protection to the hand loom sector till now. Textile Department already Constitute a committee on this issue to analysis the implementation of reservation act and possibilities of removable items of varieties of hand looms or to totally remove this act by putting in the Parliament for amendment. Committee meeting held on 20th March,2015 in this regard in D C H Office Delhi, nobody telling about this issue, what is going on reservation act, they are maintaning the secrecy in the department. In this context, we are all seeking for your suggestions, how we can overcome from this problem to protect the hand looms in india. In which way we can brought this issue before the government as well as civil society for their involvement for hand loom weavers movement.You can read more about the realities of weavers in Andhra. Shyamsundari of Dastkar Andhra is more direct.So, please send your opinions and suggestions to over come from this problem and to protect the lakhs of hand loom weavers lively hood.
We had a two day deliberation in Delhi in the month of March regarding the importance of the Reservation Act in securing the interests of the handloom sector. I spoke to the Enforcement chief personally and to the two deputy directors. They agreed to come but failed to show up. The Secretary was given a direct invitation by one of the members of the Federation of Handloom organisations. Same was the case with the DCH. But there was no representation from the Handloom Department. And within a couple of weeks we hear from the enforcement officials(unofficially) that a move is on to repeal the Act. There seems to be a strong powerloom lobby behind the move and the Secretary Textiles seems to be playing an active role in the whole thing.Livelihoods of weavers are already an issue. Third National Census of Handloom Units and Allied Activity Workers (2010) for Development Commissioner (Handlooms), ministry of textiles by the National Council of Applied Economic Research (India’s oldest and independent think tank) tells us something about who these weavers are.
- 87% of total household units (27.83 lakh) are located in rural areas.
- Nearly 47% of handloom worker households are BPL and rest are non-BPL.
- 29 lakh weavers constitute 76% of the adult workforce.
- 9.38 lakh allied workers are 24% of the adult workforce.
- Almost 67% weavers are engaged full time in weaving.
- Almost 75% of handloom workers are women.
- 60% of adult handloom workers have little or no schooling.


In india we have lost everything that is good and beautiful ,pl at least lets preserve hand looms the soul of India,No law enactment.
The entire world looks to us for the beautiful art that our weavers spin….Mahatma Ghandi sitting on the chakra is a symbol people all over identify with. What is happening to our Nation that anything and everything of essence and meaning, arts , hand loom, forests, wildlife, all come under the axe to pave the way for “progress” in the form of mass produced synthetic fabric, concrete jungles, promoting builders lobbys etc.
PLEASE take heed ….
The entire world looks to us for the beautiful art that our weavers spin….Mahatma Ghandi sitting on the chakra is a symbol people all over identify with. What is happening to our Nation that anything and everything of essence and meaning, arts , hand loom, forests, wildlife, all come under the axe to pave the way for “progress” in the form of mass produced synthetic fabric, concrete jungles, promoting builders lobbys etc.
PLEASE take heed ….
Please preserve this beautiful tradition!!!
The beauty of hand loom is unique and it’s our identity. So please please preserve it. It will affect the livelihood of many and we will loose connections with our own heritage. Save it
Please value our heritage
I am visiting India in November and hope to buy hand loomed clothes to wear in New Zealand and show off their beauty. All traditional artisans must be honoured and protected. India must not bow down to the pressures of the West to have cheap nasty textiles overwhelm her heritage of handcrafted, beautiful clothes and art works!
Please save Handlooms! India’s Pride
Please help preserve our heritage.
Sadly the power loom drive is applying the same logic of the ineffectiveness of the law to protect itself from abuse as do most industries in India, and not only there, worldwide, to widen their market against the interests of the very people the legislation was meant to protect. Business is not in the business of preserving the ancient heritage of indigenous skill, art and craft, that is and should be the preserve of the Government, but a pro-business government that is purely money and effect driven is no respecter of the traditional environment. Instead of repealing the Act the Government of India should acknowledge the uniqueness oof the Handloom heritage and give the Act some teeth so that the Powerloom proponents are deterred from breaking the law.
Handloom is so unique to India. A traditional craft that needs to be preserved and the skills of the artisans passed on to the generations to come. If the handloom industry dies we will lose something very valuable and life will be so very colourless!
Let’s not kill something and build something we may not be proud of !1
please protect our heritage for our next generations
I have been working in the Handloom and handicraft sector for the past 24 years and I would never like the Handloom to go away…nothing powerloom can match upto the soul of a Handloom product!
Please help preserve our heritage and the handloom industry….NO LAW ENACTMENT.
I love wearing handlooms. Please value the heritage.
I do love wearing handlooms. Please value the heritage we have, and don’t ruin it.
We should protect our heritage
I totally support handlooms…. love to wear them . Pride of India.
Handloom is a lifeline of Indian Textiles!
This is native of India and we identify with it. These are some of the traits that make us proud as Indians and unique to India. If this is gone what value is there for machine which can be replicated anywhere in the world! Please respect this fact and the devoted artisans of this art and support them in their livelihood. May be you can give it some boost with bringing in some modern design changes which is acceptable to the younger generation as well but don’t kill it.
Laws are meant to protect not destroy a heritage
I only wear handlooms, and would always speak for those who enable us to have tham.
Neerja
To whom it may concern:
Please do not take away the livelihood of millions of women who love and take pride in their work. Support handmade! Support Artisans!
No JDC. No Law Enactment. Declare Laws Enacted without JDC as Unconstitutional.