All India Handloom Board

All India Handloom Board
Name	All India Handloom Board
Formation	1992
Founder	Ministry of Textiles
Type	Advisory body
Purpose	Promotion of handloom sector
Headquarters	New Delhi
Region served	India
Leader title	Chairperson
Parent organization	Ministry of Textiles

All India Handloom Board was an advisory body constituted to represent the interests of the handloom sector across India. It linked policy-makers in the Ministry of Textiles with stakeholders such as weavers, cooperatives, and state-level agencies including the National Handloom Development Corporation Limited and Development Commissioner for Handlooms. The Board engaged with institutions like the Office of the Development Commissioner for Handlooms, cultural bodies such as Central Silk Board, and national programmes including the National Handloom Census.

History

The Board was constituted in the wake of policy shifts during the early 1990s associated with the Ministry of Textiles and reforms influenced by debates in the Parliament of India, dialogues with National Institute of Fashion Technology, and inputs from state governments like Tamil Nadu and West Bengal. Its antecedents trace to advisory arrangements under the All India Handloom Board Act-style frameworks and consultations involving representatives from cooperatives such as the Cooperative Sector in India and autonomous bodies like the Indian Council for Cultural Relations. Over time the Board interfaced with commissions such as the National Commission for Enterprises in the Unorganised Sector and participated in roundtables with unions like the Bureau of Indian Standards and civic institutions like the Confederation of Indian Industry.

Mandate and Functions

The Board's mandate involved advising the Ministry of Textiles on policy measures affecting the handloom cluster, interfacing with agencies such as the Small Industries Development Organization and the National Handloom Development Corporation Limited, and proposing interventions akin to those in the Integrated Handloom Development Scheme. It reviewed schemes that implicated bodies like the Reserve Bank of India (credit linkage), assessed training inputs from institutions such as the National Institute of Fashion Technology, and coordinated with state directorates like the Directorate of Handlooms and Textiles (Tamil Nadu) on design, marketing, and skill development initiatives.

Organizational Structure

The Board typically comprised representatives from central ministries (notably the Ministry of Textiles), elected leaders from state governments such as Kerala and Odisha, prominent figures from trade bodies like the Confederation of Indian Industry and the Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce & Industry, and members from academic institutions including the Indian Institute of Technology Madras and the National Institute of Fashion Technology. It included nominees from cooperative federations like the Cooperative Sector in India and advocacy groups such as the All India Trade Union Congress and sectoral NGOs like the Self Employed Women's Association.

Programs and Schemes

The Board advised on implementation and design of programmes linked to the Integrated Handloom Development Scheme, design interventions with institutions like the National Institute of Design, marketing linkages through platforms equivalent to the Handloom Mark and collaborations with retail initiatives influenced by the National Handloom Development Corporation Limited. It supported training models involving National Handloom Development Corporation Limited partnerships, quality standards referencing the Bureau of Indian Standards, and financial facilitation aligned with policies of the Reserve Bank of India and schemes akin to the Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSME) initiatives.

Outreach and Industry Impact

Through consultations with state directorates such as the Directorate of Handlooms and Textiles (West Bengal), artisan networks in Assam, Karnataka, and Rajasthan, and partnerships with craft institutions including the Jharkhand Handloom, the Board influenced market access via events similar to India International Trade Fair and collaborations with trade delegations linked to the Ministry of Commerce and Industry. It contributed to awareness campaigns alongside cultural institutions like the National Handloom Day observances and cooperated with media outlets that covered craft clusters, thereby affecting producers in clusters associated with the Khadi and Village Industries Commission.

Funding and Partnerships

Funding and resource allocation involved coordination between the Ministry of Textiles, state governments such as Assam and Gujarat, and public sector undertakings including the National Handloom Development Corporation Limited. Partnerships extended to development agencies, academic partners like the Indian Institute of Technology Delhi, trade bodies such as the Confederation of Indian Industry, and international linkages with multilateral actors resembling UNESCO cultural heritage initiatives.

Criticism and Controversies

The Board faced critique from stakeholders including independent weaver collectives in Bengal, advocacy organizations like the Self Employed Women's Association, and commentators in media outlets that referenced policy debates in the Parliament of India. Points of contention included perceived overlaps with agencies such as the National Handloom Development Corporation Limited, debates over subsidy allocation similar to those involving the Public Distribution System (India), and tensions between market-driven approaches advocated by trade associations like the Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce & Industry and protectionist positions endorsed by some state governments including Odisha and Tamil Nadu.

Category:Textile organisations in India