The textile minister Smriti Irani, on the occasion of second National Handloom Day announced launching a fresh weavers’ census and a helpline for weavers.

Irani made these announcements during the presentation of Sant Kabir Award and National Award for handloom weavers at a function hosted by her ministry at Swatantrata Bhawan auditorium of Banaras Hindu University.

“To know financial condition of weavers, measures to improve their income, ensuring that all government facilities are reaching the last weaver, holding a fresh census has become necessary,” she said.

Irani also announced launching a weaver helpline in order to ensure that weavers are giving feedback on the status of government schemes and also make direct complaints in case of any problem in availing such facilities. She invited companies engaged in e-commerce and trading to join the movement of providing platform to the weavers for getting better return against the sale of their products. She announced holding markets of loom and other equipment for weavers with a facility of loaning.

The textile ministry signed memorandums of understanding with the ministry of skill development in presence of MoS for skill development and entrepreneurship (independent charge) Rajiv Pratap Rudy, IGNOU and NIOS to enable weavers continuing their education alongside their works, Fashion Design Council of India, Micro Units Development and Refinance Agency and NIFT.