Textiles min for hike in insurance cover for handloom weavers

Textiles ministry has proposed increasing the insurance cover for handloom weavers, a sector that employs millions and has been one of the focus areas of the government for job creation.
The ministry has proposed more than three-fold increase in insurance cover to Rs 2 lakh from Rs 60,000 in case of natural death. The cover for accidental death may be raised to Rs 4 lakh from Rs 1.5 lakh at present.
"We plan to increase the insurance cover for weavers in the handloom sector. This will encourage more weavers to get covered in the insurance net and attract more people to join the sector's workforce," a senior official told PTI.

The Mahatma Gandhi Bunkar Bima Yojana provides insurance cover to handloom weavers in case of natural and accidental death, and total and partial disability.
Under the insurance scheme, the government released Rs 16.67 crore in 2015-16, slightly higher than Rs 16.39 crore released in 2014-15 when 5.74 lakh weavers were enrolled.
"We welcome the move. It will work as a great morale booster for the weavers. Weavers are the lifeline of textile industry. Out of 110 million people employed in the textile sector, more than 60 per cent are in handlooms," Confederation of Indian Textile Industry Secretary General Binoy Job said.

The textile sector is the country's second-largest employer after agriculture.