Bengal to expedite schemes in handicraft and handloom sectors

West Bengal government is keen on quick implementation of all state and central schemes for the development of handicraft and handloom sectors in the state involving over 12 lakh artisans and weavers.

There are more than 5.5 lakh handicraft artisans and 6.65 lakh handloom weavers in the state as per the Handloom Census 2010 who are engaged in intricate varieties of handicraft and handloom products, Micro and Small Scale Enterprises and Textile Minister Manas Bhunia said here on Thursday.

Releasing a hand book on different schemes in the handicraft and handloom sectors, Bhunia said the department was preparing photo identity cards for artisans and weavers, besides providing financial support from banks through artisans credit cards and weavers credit cards.

The artisans and weavers were being given health care facilities and insurance for themselves and maximum three dependents for nominal premium under Rajiv Gandhi Shilpa Swastha Bima Yojana Scheme, he said.

Elaborating on the state's plan to strengthen the sector, Bhunia said the government has so far developed 27 clusters, while 16 clusters were in the soft intervention stage and another 51 were in the pipeline.