Status of Boards for Handloom and Handicrafts

The decision to disband All India Handicrafts Board (AIHB) and All India Handloom Board (AIHB) was taken based on a thorough review of the functioning of the Board. The assessment revealed that weavers from across the Nation did not benefit from the Board which barely met, and did not take weavers across all States into confidence. There was no contribution from the Board as regards policy formulation and its implementation.

On the other hand, the Weavers’ Service Centres and the State Handloom departments have been working well in good coordination through interactions on policy, implementation of Government schemes, educating weavers about online marketing platforms including efforts to onboard weavers on Government e-marketplace (GeM), and addressing the problems of handloom weavers through Chaupals.

This information was given in a written reply by the Union Minister of Textiles Smt. Smriti Zubin Irani in Rajya Sabha today.