Government has been implementing various policy initiatives and schemes for the welfare of textile workers in the country, such as Integrated Skill Development Scheme (ISDS), Schemes for Development of Silk and Sericulture sectors, National Handloom Development Programme (NHDP), Comprehensive Handloom Cluster Development Scheme(CHCDS), Yarn supply Scheme and National Handicrafts Development Programme (NHDP). Government is also implementing PowerTex India, a comprehensive scheme for Powerloom Sector Development.
Further, Government is implementing social welfare schemes for weavers/ workers, such as Matatma Gandhi Bunkar Bima Yojana for Handloom weavers, the Group Insurance Scheme for Powerloom workers, the Aam Admi Bima Yojana for handicrafts artisans and scholarship for children of jute workers. Government of India had introduced the Textile Workers Rehabilitation Fund Scheme (TWRFS) to provide relief to workers rendered jobless due to permanent closure of Non-SSI Textile Mills in private sector. The TWRFS has now been merged with Rajiv Gandhi Shramik Kalyan Yojana (RGSKY) which provides an unemployment allowance for the employees covered under ESI Scheme, who are rendered unemployed involuntarily due to retrenchment/closure of factory, etc. The Government had also approved a special package for textile sector with an outlay of Rs. 6000 crore to boost employment generation and exports, particularly in Garmenting and Made-ups.
The above information was given by the Minister of State, Textiles, Shri Ajay Tamta today, in a written reply to a Lok Sabha question.