CHAPTER 1

HANDLOOM INDUSTRY IN INDIA

1.1 Introduction

The Indian textile industry is in the process of responding to the

changes in the global economy and has started utilising its strengths to

build up an international status. Today, India is the second largest

producer of textiles in the world, next to China. The Indian textile

industry is one of the largest and oldest and considering the availability of

inexpensive skilled workers and technician along with the availability of

cotton in the country, it has been doing well in the recent past in terms of

production and exports.

In the world textile market, countries like Japan and South Korea

are becoming high cost economies. Therefore, it is expected that India

could move into the positions occupied by these countries due to its

strengths mentioned above. The Indian textile industry can do much

better with the Government policy backing the industry.

In order to contribute substantially to the growth of the Indian

textile industry, it is necessary that India exploits its strengths, i.e.,

availability of inexpensive skilled workers, and availability of raw cotton,

both short and long staple varieties. The recent liberalization of the Indian

Government has helped in giving a boost, but it is not sufficient to keep

the Indian textile industry competitive in the world market. Because of its

fundamental strengths, there are a number of opportunities that are likely

to be available to the Indian textile industry, which need to be exploited

to their fullest extent.1

Table 1.1 presents the performance of Indian textiles from 1995-96

to 2001-02. From the table it can be observed that the percent share of the

mill sector declined from 6% to 4% and the handloom sector also showed

a decline from 23% to 18% while correspondingly the share of the

power loom sector and the hosiery sector increased by 6% and 1%

respectively. The declining trend was very severe in the case of the

handloom sector and competitive forces played a part in limiting the

growth of this sector.2

1.2 Historical Development and Growth of Handloom Industry in

India

The handloom industry in India had attained a very high degree of

excellence even centuries before the mechanized loom was invented to

produce cloth. As the largest cottage industry in India, it occupies a place

of prominence in the economy of the country. Nearly l/5ltl of the total

requirement of cloth in the country is provided by this sector, catering to

all segments of the markets.3

The Indian handloom industry has been popular world over for its

workmanship. It was a big craze and status symbol in European countries

to have Indian handloom products in their homes. Thus, the Indian

handloom industry had an excellent past. Its history goes back to the

Indus Valley Civilization.

Handloom textiles are a part of the cultural heritage of India from

time immemorial. Some of them earned appreciation from foreign

travellers who visited the country from time to time. Their fineness was

compared to that of the spider’s web by Marco Polo. The Masulipatnam

hand printed textiles were so perfectly coloured that it was sometimes

difficult to distinguish them from the finest embroidery. India was a

producer of cotton, silk and woollen fabrics for costumes. Indian textiles

found their way to many countries for centuries. The creative urge of the

people found expression in myriad forms of loveliness and the aesthetic

textiles had infinite charm. India’s graceful textiles were well known for

3-

their colourful weaving, precise details, unique character and design,

workmanship, motif and colour combinations. History shows that hand

weaving has been in existence in India for over five thousand eight

hundred years now, Five thousand years ago the people of Mohenjo-daro

knew how to grow cotton and spin and weave. These early inhabitants of

the Indus Valley made garments of dyed and patterned cotton, as is

evident from the discovery, during the excavation of the ancient

Harappan sites, of a fragment of madder dyed cotton woven in a coarse

plain weave. The archaeologists also found terracotta spindle whorls.

These important revelations from the ancient site confirmed knowledge

of spinning and weaving and the magical process of Manjistha, madder

dyeing. It was a discovery of the utmost importance, for these finds were

the first signs of the use of cotton and dyed garments in the Indian sub­

continent.

In the Vedas and Puranas, there are innumerable references to the

exquisite qualities and wide range of fabrics worn by the Gods, Kings and

the people at large. Each God and Goddess is described to be clad in a

certain particular type of fabric, i.e., Lord Krishna in yellow colour,

Goddess Kali in red blood dress and so on.

Buddhist literature has many references to the magnificent cotton

spinners and weavers of Kashi. The fabric was so finely woven that oil

could not penetrate the cloth. Spinning was the work of women. Cotton

cloths were washed, calendared, starched and perfumed. A cotton cloth

from Kashi was used to wrap the body of the Chakravarti, the Emperor.

It was also used on the body of the Buddha when he attained Nirvana,

eternal rest.

Cotton muslins form India were highly prized in Babylon. They

were referred to as Sindhu, indicating their origin in the Valley of the

4

Indus. Roman emperors paid fabulous prices for the treasured Indian

cottons, which came to be known as ‘woven winds’. Hundreds of years

later, in Moghul India, these wondrous cottons, the Mul Mul Khas, were

given poetic names: Abrawan (running water) or Shubnam (morning

dew). They were said to become invisible when wet and stretched on

grass.

Silk cloth was also widely used. The word ‘Vichitra Patolka’ is

mentioned in the beginning of this era in Buddhist texts to indicate tie-

dyed patterned multi-coloured silks akin to the Patolas of Gujarat. There

is also mention of scarlet flowered silks being worn by the highborn

women of Madurai in South India.5

During the epic age, handicrafts are reported to have been in a

highly developed stage. The industry enjoyed a rich heritage of weaving,

and the handloom industry was the sole supplier of cloth in the country.6

The handloom industry in India has passed through different stages

of development. It has passed through the cycles of prosperity and

depression. It is a well-known historical fact that India had flourishing

handlooms in the early times.7 The decline of the handloom industry

began in the latter days of the Hindu period. It was accelerated during the

regime of the Pathan rulers. There was, however, some revival in the days

of the Moghuls. Among the finer crafts of the Moghul period were the

muslins of Dacca, the shawls and carpets of Kashmir, the silk cloth of

Delhi and Agra.

The supremacy of Indian handicrafts began to decline towards the

end of the 18th century. The Industrial Revolution in England during the

second half of the 18th century and competition from cheaper English

goods owing to the policy of laissez-faire and other factors led to the

decline and fall of Indian crafts, particularly handlooms.

5

The series of widespread famines in the last quarter of the 19th

century adversely affected the handloom industry in the country. This

attracted the attention of the government, which appointed two

commissions, viz., The Royal Commission of 1880 and The Famine

Commission of 1898. These two commissions recommended the

protection of all crafts to support the people rather than providing them

other public works.

The Famine Commission of 1901 also made a similar

recommendation. The Central Government asked the provincial

governments to conduct investigations into important cottage industries

like hand weaving. But all these investigations did not bring much benefit

to the handloom industry.8

Between 1896 and 1900, the competition between handlooms and

mills was not serious, their relationship being complementary. The mills

spun the yarn which the handlooms wove. The Indian mills during this

period are estimated to have used 85 million pounds of yarn annually for

manufacture of cloth, while handlooms consumed not less than 200

million pounds. In other words, at the beginning of this century, the

handloom industry was twice as large as the mill industry. From then on,

many mills started weaving in addition to spinning.9

1.3 Handlooms Under Plan Periods ?

As found in Table 1.2, the amount of allotment under the Plans

rose continuously. However, the share of handlooms in Plan outlay

fluctuated widely from 1.27 per cent in the II Five Year Plan to 0.19 per

cent in the VII Five Year Plan. Variations in production and employment

were not as sharp. Handloom exports rose continuously, especially during

the last 10 years, when the value of exports more than trebled.

6

In the First Five Year Plan period, the All India Handloom Board

was formed to monitor the development of the handloom industry. A

number of emporia and sales depots for handlooms, handicrafts and

village industries were established during the First Plan period,10

In the Second Five Year Plan period, efforts were directed towards

increasing production and sales of handloom products. Researches were

also undertaken to increase productivity in the handloom sector.11

In the Third Plan period, apart form strengthening the existing

handloom production base, efforts were made to stimulate the export of

handloom cloth. Further, expansion of Weavers’ Service Centres at

Bombay, Madras, Varanasi, Calcutta and Kancheepuram was undertaken.

The two Institutes of Handloom Technology were reorganized to12

facilitate better training of handloom weavers.

In the Fourth Plan, measures were taken to activate the Handloom

Reservation Act and to strengthen the co-operativisation of handlooms.

Handloom exports increased considerably.13

During the Fifth Plan period, employment through handlooms

increased by 20 per cent and exports increased substantially from

Rs.5 crores to Rs.100 crores. Twenty-five Intensive Handloom

Development projects were established all over India during this period

for employment generation in rural areas. Nine new Weavers’ Service

Centres were set up.14

In the Sixth Plan period, considerable efforts were made to ensure

adequate raw material supply through establishment of co-operative

spinning mills. Financial assistance was given to set up wet processing

units for better marketing of handloom products. State level apex

societies were provided with adequate financial support to establish retail

7

showrooms to ensure better marketing of handloom products.

Modernisation of looms was also undertaken. b

The Seventh Plan period concentrated on increasing the share of

handloom cloth, thereby increasing the employment generation. Measures

were also taken to strengthen handloom training, research and marketing.

Table 1.2

Growth of Handlooms in Five-Year Plan Periods

S.No

(1)

P lan Per iod

(2 )

P lan Out lay (Rs . in cr . )

(3 )

Product ion in mi l l ionsq .meters

(4 )

Employment in mi l l ions

.._ (5).............

Value o f handloom exports (Rs . ln .cr )

(6 )

1 I FYP11 .6

(0 .59)1700 3 .0 4 .44

2 11 FYP59 .5

(1 .27)1471 3 .2 6 .55

3 111 FYP34 .5

(0 .40)1900 3 .4 8 .2

4 IV FYP39 .35(0 .24)

3530 3 .0 15

5 V FYP148 .00(0 .40)

4250 5 .0 100

6 VI FYP ,310 .00(0 .32)

3600 6 .0 261

7 VII FYP344 .00(0 .19)

4155 6 .5 485

8 VIII FYP1007 .00(0 .28)

7000 7 .0 1000

9 IX FYP1414 .15(0 .38)

7250 7 .2 3170

Source: Massing Commission Reports, Government of India.

Note: 1. Plan outlay for the I First Five Year Plan includes provision for Khadi,

village and small industries.

2. Figures in columns 3.4, and 5 represent performance in the last year of the

Plan period. However IX Plan figures relate to 2000-2001 A.D.

Special attention was paid to the development of handloom in hill

and tribal areas.16

In the Eighth Plan period measures were taken to ensure reasonable

wages for weavers, supply of hank yarn at reasonable prices,

establishment of silk yarn bank and export development. Efforts were

8

directed towards strict monitoring of the implementation of the

Handloom Reservation Act of 1985. Several welfare measures were

undertaken for the handloom weavers.

In the Ninth Five Year Plan, the handloom sector faced severe

competition from the power looms and the following new initiatives were

taken during this period.

1.3.1. Deendayal Hathkargha Protsalian Yojana

Under this scheme, assistance was given for product development,

infrastructure, and institutional support, design input, training to weavers,

supply of equipment, market incentive, publicity and improving exports.

1.3.2. National Centre for Textile Designs (NCTB)

The National Centre for Textile Design was set up to provide

information about fashion trends, colour and design forecast for the

benefit of the weavers, exporters and handloom agencies. The centre

aimed at benefiting the weaver by linking him to the market.

1.3.3. Handloom Development Centers and Quality Dyeing Unit

Scheme

With a view to ensuring timely supply of yarn of requisite quality,

to provide training in improved weaving practices, marketing of the cloth

and working capital to sustain long term production needs etc., the

scheme envisaged 3000 Handloom Development Centres and Quality

Dyeing Units (QDUs) in different parts of the country over a period of

4 years. Other schemes are, housing to weavers, thrift fund scheme,

insurance to handloom weavers, research and development, marketing

through ACASH (Association of Corporations and Apex Societies of

Handloom), conducting international trade fairs and domestic exhibitions

for promoting handloom goods market.

9

1.4 Performance of Handloom Sector in India

A profile of the performance of the handloom sector during the last

13 years can be found in Table 1.3. In the total clothing scenario, the

volume of output in handlooms rose continuously except in 1991-1992

and 1997-1998. However, annual growth rates fluctuated sharply during

the period. The share of handlooms in total textile production has

decreased continuously since 1991-1992 because of the growth of

powerlooms and hosiery.

Table 1.3

Production of Fabrics in Handloom Sector in India

S.No

(i)

Year

(2)

Production in million Square

meters (3)

Percentage of increase over previous year

(4)

Percentage share in total textile

production (5)

1. 1988-89 3381 - 24.56

2. 1989-90 3837 11.88 22.85

J . 1990-91 4237 9.44 23.40

4. 1991-92 4065 -4.23 23.11

5. 1992-93 5216 21.98 22.20

6. 1993-94 5851 10.70 21.29

7. 1994-95 6180 5.80 21.90

8. 1995-96 7202 16.58 22.80

9. 1996-97 7456 3.56 21.74

10. 1997-98 7603 1.98 20.60

11. 1998-99 6792 -10.60 19.10

12. 1999-2000 7352 8.23 19.40

13. 2000-2001 7472 1.63 19.90

Source: Ministry of Textiles, Government of India.

1.5 State-wise Distribution of the Number of Handlooms

From the point of view of number of handlooms, the first six most

important states ate Assam, which has 1,409 thousand out of the total of

10

3,891 thousand handlooms in the country (i.e., 36.21 per cent of the

country’s total), followed by Tamil Nadu (11.02 per cent), West Bengal

(8.69 per cent), Manipur (6.94 per cent), Uttar Pradesh (6.71 per cent)

and Andhra Pradesh (5.65 per cent). These six states together have 75.22

Table 1.4

State-wise Distribution of Handlooms in Urban aBid Rural Areas

Statcs/UTs

Number of Handlooms (in thousand) Rural as %

of Total

State’s % Share in the Tata! Number

of Handlooms in the CountryUrban Rural Total

1. Assam 65 1,344 1409 95.39 36.212. Tamil Nadu 122 307 429 71.56 11.023. West Bangal 37 301 338 89.05 8.694. Manipur 42 228 270 84.44 6.945. Uttar Pradesh 100 161 261 61.68 6.716. Andhra Pradesh 57 163 220 74.09 5.657. Tripura Neg. 119 119 100.00 3.068. Orissa 6 113 119 94.96 3.069. Mizoram 21 83 104 79.81 2.6710. Bihar 12 71 83 85.54 2.1311. Karnataka 37 45 82 54.88 2.1112. Nagaland 11 67 78 85.90 2.0013. Maharashtra 51 17 68 25.00 1.7514. Kerala 5 47 52 90.38 1.3415. Madhya Pradesh 16 31 47 65.96 1.2116. Arunachal Pradesh Neg. 46 46 100.00 1.1817. Rajasthan 8 25 33 75.76 0.8518. Himachal Pradesh 1 30 30 100.00 0.7719. J&K 5 20 25 80.00 0.6420. Gujarat 5 18 23 78.26 0.5921. Haryana 14 6 20 30.00 0.5122. Punjab 4 8 12 66.67 0.3123. Delhi 7 2 9 22.22 0.2324. Meghalaya Neg. 8 8 100.00 0.2025. Pondicherry 4 1 5 20.00 0.13

Total%

63016.19

326183.81

3891 83.81

Source: Compendium of Textile Statistics, 1999 (pp. 267-268)

per cent of the total handlooms in the country. Extending this list to the

first fifteen, the other states are Tripura (3.06 per cent), Orissa (3.06 per

cent), Mizoram (2.67 per cent), Bihar (2.13 per cent), Karnataka1 1

(2.11 per cent), Nagaland (2.00 per cent), Maharashtra (1.75 per cent),

Kerala (1.34 per cent) and Madhya Pradesh (1.21 per cent). These fifteen

states together have 94.55 per cent of the country’s total number of

handlooms.19

1.6 Working and Idle Handlooms

Out of the total of 3,891 thousand, 279 thousand handlooms are

idle (Table 1.5), which constitutes 7.17 per cent of the total. The largest

Table 1.5

State-wise Distribution of Working and Idle Looms

States/UtsNumber of Loan

(in thousand)Idle Looms as % of

Total Number of LoomsWorking Idle Total

1. Assam 1,299 110 1,409 7.812. Tamil Nadu 402 27 429 6.293. West Bengal 319 19 338 5.624. Manipur 267 3 270 1.115. Uttar Pradesh 244 17 261 6.516. Andhra Pradesh 213 7 220 3.187. Tripura 117 2 119 1.688. Mizoram 94 10 104 9.619. Orissa 92 27 119 22.6910. Karnataka 77 5 82 6.1011. Bihar 73 10 83 12.0512. Nagaland 72 6 78 7.6913. Maharashtra 66 2 68 2.9414. Arunachal Pradesh 46 Neg. 46 -15. Kerala 42 10 52 19.2316. Rajasthan 32 1 33 3.0317. Madhya Pradesh 31 16 47 34.0418. Himachal Pradesh 31 Neg. 31 -19. J&K 25 Neg. 25 -20. Gujarat 21 2 23 8.6921. Haryana 17 3 20 15.0022. Punjab 11 1 12 8.3323. Delhi 8 1 9 11.1124. Meghalaya 8 Neg. 8 -25. Pondicherry 5 Neg. 5 -

Total 3,612 279 3,891 7.17Source: Ibid.percentage of idle handlooms is in Madhya Pradesh (34.04 per cent)

followed by Orissa (22.69 per cent), Kerala (19.23 per cent), Haryana

(15.00 per cent), Bihar (12.05 per cent), Delhi (11.11 per cent), Mizoram12

(9.61 per cent), Gujarat (8.69 per cent), Punjab (8.33 per cent), Assam

(7.81 per cent), Nagaland (7.69 per cent), Uttar Pradesh (6.51 per cent),

Tamil Nadu (6.29 per cent), Karnataka (6.10 per cent) and West

Bengal(5.62 per cent) . These fifteen states have 264 thousand idle

handlooms, which is 94.62 per cent of the total number of idle handlooms

in the country. The major states where the problem of idle handlooms has

assumed significant proportions are Assam (110 thousand), Tamil Nadu

(27 thousand), Orissa (27 thousand), West Bengal (19 thousand), Uttar

Pradesh (17 thousand), Madhya Pradesh (16 thousand) and Mizoram,

Bihar and Kerala (10 thousand each).20

1.7 Handlooms of Tamil Nadu

Tamil Nadu occupies a prominent place in textile production and

the handloom products of this state are quite famous all over India and

even abroad. The handloom goods are better known as “Kaithari” in

Tamil. At present, there are about 1354 Primary Handloom Weavers’

Co-operative Societies, producing about 94.83 million square meters of

fabric of the value of Rs. 4019.70 millions. There are about 2.83 lakh

handlooms operating in Tamil Nadu, accounting for 25.5 per cent of the

output of the handloom sector of the country. Handlooms provide

employment to around 10 lakh persons through weaving and allied trade

activities. In Tamil Nadu the handloom centres produce pure cotton goods,

pure silk sarees and dhotis, furnishing goods and blended goods.

1.8 Handloom Co-operatives in Tamilnadu

As Table 1.6 shows, between 1995 and 2000, the handloom

Co-operative sector shrank, as shown by the decline in the number of

societies, number of looms, production and sales. As per Table 1.6, and in

13

a span of five years, the Number of weavers co-operative societies, the

number of active looms, production and sales in Tamil Nadu, handlooms

suffered a declining trend.

Table L6

Performance of Handloom Co-operatives in Tamil Nadu

S.No Year No. of No. of Production Workingwcs Handlooms (in lakh meters) Sales capital

(in lakh) (in crores) (in crores)(1) (2) (3) . (4) (5) (6) (7)1. 1995-96 1439 4.15 1240.86 455.68 221.932. 1996-97 1439 3.45 1055 422.56 268.78

(-16.88) (- 14.90) (- 7.26) (21.20)3. 1997-98 1386 3.67 1006.40 431.68 270.19

(-3.68) (6.38) (- 4.66) (2.13) (0.74)4. 1998-99 1382 3.44 948.34 445.30 304.13

(- 0.38) (-6.28) (- 5.76) (3.25) (12.65)5. 1999-2000 1354 2.83 886.45 432.65 346.16

(- 2.02) (- 17.73) (-6.53) (- 2.84) (13.82)

Source: Department of Handloom and Textiles, Government of Tamil Nadu.

Figures within parenthesis indicate the percentage growth or decline in the

parameters.

1.9 Co-optex

Co-optex is the apex body of the handloom co-operative societies.

Established in 1935, Co-optex is a leading textile co-operative marketing

federation, with a paid up capital of Rs.36 crores and a sales turnover of

Rs.329 crores in 2000-01. It has a wide range of product categories

(about 30) with a large number of variations within each. It is the nodal

marketing federation for several handloom weavers’ co-operative

societies, with 328 exclusive showrooms all over India. Co-optex

manages its distribution through fifteen regional warehouses, including

nine within Tamil Nadu. The textile market went through drastic changes

due to competition from low cost long lasting synthetic powerloom/mill

goods. In customer preference there was a shift from traditional sarees to

other fashionable dress materials. These factors forced Co-optex to

reorient its marketing strategies from product orientation to market

orientation.

1.10 Textile Industry in Dindigul District

Dindigul District has emerged as a key district in the production of

textiles, including yarn and handloom fabrics. Due to lack of adequate

soft water sources in the district, chemical processing activities are very

limited, consisting of rural cottage level dyeing units and a few major

yarn dyeing units.

There are about 17 ginning units in the district and 120 spinning

mills, having 13.5 lakh spindles and 3280 open-end rotors. In respect of

powerloom weaving, there are 20 powerloom units, having about 250

powerlooms. In the district, 10,025 handlooms are operating with major

production of cotton drills, sarees, dhotis and polyester/art silk/blended

silk goods, tie and dye kora silk sarees and 26,000 weavers depend on

handloom weaving operations.22

About 20- years back, there were about 50,000 handloom weavers

in the district and the handloom trade was flourishing, with the famous

‘Chinnalapatti Sarees’ and other fine variety of art silk sarees. They were

sold throughout India and even exported. Due to lack of modernization of

handlooms, product diversification, non-availability of quality yarn at

cheap prices, lack of design development facilities and lack of trade

related guidance and counselling to the handloom weavers in rural areas,

the handloom weaving industry declined gradually over the years and

most of the skilled artisans in the handloom trade have migrated to far off

places to undertake road laying and other building works. The handloom

industry could be revived if suitable developmental efforts are undertaken

in the district. The leading handloom areas in the district are Dindigul

Town, Chinnalapatti, Sithayankottai, Palani and Vedasandur.

15

1.11 Handloom Co-operatives in Dindigul District

There are 32 handloom co-operative societies functioning in

Dindigul District at present, and their performance is given in Table 1.7.

Table 1.7

Performance of Handloom Co-operatives Inn Dindigul District

(Rs. in lakhs)SI.No

(1)

Year

(2)

Production

(3)

Sales

(4)

Employmentin Nos,

(S)

Earnings

(6)

Workingcapital

(7)1. 1995-96 198.20 225.10 1322 115 216.502. 1996-97 142.67

(- 28.28)134.32

(- 40.32)1299 92 217.26

(0.35)3. 1997-98 115.53

(- 6.43)91.49

(-31.88)1248 75 225.32

(3.73)4. 1998-99 172.45

(49.26)224.20

(145.05)1600 144 258.42

(14.69)5. 1999-2000 171.32

(-0.66)216.80

(- 33.00)1757 146 344.81

(33.43)6. 2000-2001 168.80

(-1.47)206.52 (- 4.74)

1747 175 433.27(25.65)

Source: Assistant Director of Handloom and Textiles in Dindigul District Figure in paranthesis indicate the percentage growth or decline in parameters

In terms of constant prices, production and sales showed decline,

while the working capital registered a dramatic increase. Hence, this

research work is pursued to analyse the factors responsible for the

lacklustre performance in production and sales while huge volume of

working capital has been invested during the 6-year period.

16

References

1. Mahadevan, Textile Spinning, weaving and Designing Ablishek

publication, chandigarh, 2001, p.l.

2. Ministry of Textiles, Government of India, New Delhi, Annual Report

2001-02.

3. VIII Plan, Report of the sub group on Handlooms, Development

Commissioner for Handlooms, New Delhi 1989, p.7.

4. Mahajan, R.K. Dissertation Report on marketing of Handloom

products in public sector with special Reference to Jammu District,

1991,p.l.

5. Sudan A.S. marketing mix of Handloom products-A case study J & K

state Handloom Development corporation Ltd, 1989, p. 16.

6. Ibid, p. 17

7. Report of Industrial Commission 1918, p.l.

8. Fact finding'Report on Handloom and mills, Calcutta, 1945, p.6.

9. Buchanan, D.H., “Development of capitalist Enterprise” in India,

p.214.

10. Government of India, New Delhi, Planning Commission, ChapterXX,

Village and Small Scale Industries, First Five Year Plan, Pp.40-44.

11. Government of India, New Delhi, Planning Commission, Village and

Small Scale Industries, Second Five Year Plan, Appendix VII,

Pp.529-530.

12.Government of India, New Delhi, Planning Commission, Chapter

XXV, Village and Small Scale Industries, Third Five Year Plan,

Pp.437-439.

17

13.Government of India, New Delhi, Planning Commission, Chapter

XIII, Village and Small Scale Industries, Fourth Five Year Plan,

P.285.

14.Government of India, New Delhi, Planning Commission, Chapter V,

Village and Small Scale Industries, Fifth Five Year Plan, P68.

15.Government of India, New Delhi, Planning Commission, Chapter 12,

Village and Small Scale Industries, Sixth Five Year Plan, Pp. 197-198.

16.Government of India, New Delhi, Planning Commission, Chapter 4,

Village and Small Scale Industries, Seventh Five Year Plan,

Pp.106-107.

17.Government of India, New Delhi, Planning Commission, Chapter 6,

Village and Small Scale Industries and Food Processing Industries,

Eighth Five Year Plan, Pp. 138-139.

18.Government of India, New Delhi, Planning Commission, Chapter 6,

Village and Small Scale Industries and Food Processing Industries,

Ninth Five Year Plan Document: 2000.

19.Office of the Textile Commissioner, Compendium of Textile statistics,

1999 p.267-268,

20.1bid.

21 .Government of Tamil Nadu, ‘Handlooms and Textiles; publicy and

programme; Demand No.25, Department of Handlooms and Textiles,

Chennai, 1999-2000.

22.Office of the Assistant Director Department of Handloom and

Textiles, Dindigul District, 2000-2001.

18