Handloom reforms: Panel slams time lapses, poor planning

The committee noted that instead of the 20 clusters being developed in 2005-06, the ministry commenced work on 19 clusters only in April. It added that time-lapses have been the main reason for the failure of various schemes in the past.

The ministry has come in for criticism on the issue of insurance schemes as well. The committee said that frequent withdrawals and mergers of existing insurance schemes have been the order of the day and have led to confusion in the minds of handloom weavers. 8216;8216;Poor planning and resultant evasive tendencies of the government defeat the very purpose of the welfare schemes and the target population are hardly benefited despite the huge expenditure,8217;8217; the report said.

The ministry has also not been able to implement the committee8217;s suggestion to increase upper age limit for the ministry8217;s flagship insurance scheme 8212; Mahatma Gandhi Bunkar Bima Yojana 8212; from 58 to 70 years. While the textiles ministry said that this has been referred to the finance ministry, the committee observed that even after three months little has been achieved and it amounts to lack of co-ordination between the ministries in implementation of welfare schemes for the people.

The textile ministry has also been rapped for not achieving its target under Integrated Handloom Training Project. The ministry had set a target of training one lakh weavers within the 10th plan period but only 15,165 people were trained in 2002-04 and another 29,280 in 2004-06. 8216;8216;Lack of planning and steadfastness on the part of the government made a target set by itself an unachievable one as the term of the 10th plan is on the way of completion,8217;8217; the report said.

On the issue of tariff exemptions for handloom products to insulate it from competition in the post-quota period, the committee has again blamed lack of co-ordination between the textile and finance ministries.

The textile ministry had said that allotment of separate International Trade Classification codes for handloom products is pending before the finance ministry. 8216;8216;The proposal seeking tariff exemption will be initiated only when the ITC codes are alloted,8217;8217; the ministry had said.