CHAPTER - VII PROBLEMS OF THE HANDLOOM INDUSTRY

Transcription

1 CHAPTER - VII PROBLEMS OF THE HANDLOOM INDUSTRY Handloom industry has been facing the multisided problems, which not only hamper the productivity but also throw the weavers in to miseries. Some of the major problems are highlighted here under. The productivity of handloom industry mostly depends upon the efficiency of the loom, preparation of warp and weft and skill of the weavers. The loss of loom efficiency can be broadly identified and are given below. 1) Time wastage due to warp breaks, shuttle changes etc., 2) Adjusting and positioning of the warp, doffing and dressing of the fabric etc., 3) Wastage of time for fetching yarn, preparation of warp and weft. The weaver has the responsibility for delivering the cloth after folding which also results in some loss of production, since a handloom weaver has to perform all jobs right from fetching the yarn to delivering the cloth. Thus the reallocation of his duties only for weaving, the loom efficiency can be increased substantially. The changing of pit loom technology to frame loom technology is imminent. s have the looms at their houses and the houses are very much inadequate for expansion of looms on modern lines. Since the weavers are mostly uneducated they could not acquaint with the modern design to produce the products upto the changing tastes of the consumer and moreover the technical know-how of the weavers is inadequate to most the requirement of the present consumers tastes and preferences. 189

2 The technique and the art of weaving is still mostly on traditional methods, which require more physical labour and, the output per loom is comparatively less than that of modern looms. The scope of improvement in different sorts varies depending upon the practices followed in different handloom centres and the type of looms. Further improvement in efficiency is possible by improving and upgrading the looms and their pre-loom processes. Though many weavers are under co-operative fold, still they have to approach the private entrepreneurs like master weavers for the sale of their products and financial assistance. Due to lack of proper management in marketing weavers are facing problems from middlemen. Supervision and control of Handloom s Co-operative Societies by the Department of Industries is improper, the financing agencies should be in a positive direction and help weavers to gain confidence to work even in Black season. The cost of production for handloom cloth has been increased over the mill made cloth and subsidy and rebate given to them is not adequate. s do not have the facility of getting big amount towards credit from the societies and there is every possibility of going into the clutches of master weavers or money lenders. Proper financial assistance is not available to have the stock of raw materials like yarn, zari materials for the weavers to work continuously. Further the raw materials are provided by the private dealers with high costs. 190

3 7.1. PROBLEMS DURING PRODUCT PROCESSING The data regarding the problems that the respondent weavers face during the process of product or weaving is depicted in the Table: 7.1 Problems Climatic Conditions Power Shortage Cooperation with helpers Shortage of Raw materials Family problems Lack of skilled workers Table 7.1 Problems during Product Processing s Indepen Master under Co-op dent Middlem en (46.66) (26.66) (37.12) (22.22) (28.88) (20.00) (31.06) (16.66) (17.77) (6.06) (16.66) Labour 38 (40.00) 116 (38.03) (29.47) (19.67) (11.57) (9.83) 28 (26.66) (13.63) (33.33) (9.18) (4.44) (13.33) (12.12) (11.11) (18.95) (13.11) (2.22) (13.33) (0.98) (100.00) (100.00) (100.00) (100.00) (100.00) (100.00) Source: Primary Data Note: Figures in Parentheses indicate percentages to total. The highest percentage (38.3) of respondent weavers of all categories has remarked that they face problems during the process of weaving due to unfavorable conditions. With a large gap, per cent of them have pointed out the power shortage as their problem, while per cent have mentioned family problem. Shortage of raw material is another problem, though it is mentioned by a least percentage of respondent weavers (9.18 per cent). A negligible percentage (0.38 per cent) of them have remarked inefficiency of workers or lacking skilled workers. 191

4 Basing on the responses of individual category wise respondents, it is observed that majority of weavers from all categories comprising of Independent weavers (46.66 per cent), Master weavers (26.66 per cent), s under Middlemen (37.12 per cent) and Labour weavers (40 per cent) have felt that climatic condition is the major problematic obstacle during product process, the Cooperative weavers and other per cent of Master weavers have mentioned that the major problem during product processing is shortage of raw materials. On the whole it can be concluded that unfavorable climate is the major problem during product processing PRE-LOOM PROCESSING Table 7.2. The particulars of pre-loom process requirements and support are depicted in the Item Independent Table 7.2 Pre-loom Process Requirement under Co-op Middle men Master Family's Help 28 (62.22) 1 (06.67) 61 (46.21) Neighbor's Help (31.11) (06.67) (34.09) Hire Labour (02.22) (46.66) (03.03) Colleagues Help (04.44) (40.00) (16.67) (100.0) (100.0) (100.0) Source: Primary Data Note: Figures in Parentheses indicate percentages to total. Labour 10 (55.55) 10 (10.53) 110 (36.06) (11.11) (12.63) (24.26) 12 (3.93) (33.33) (76.84) (35.74) (100.0) (100.0) (100.0) The data reveals that majority of respondent weavers (36.06 per cent) of all categories take help of the members of their families, while per cent of weavers take colleague's help and per cent of them take neighbor's help. But only 3.93 per cent of respondent weavers engage hired labour to help them in pre-loom processing. 192

5 In case of individual categories, as the data reveals, majority of Master weavers (46.66 per cent) engage hired labours and per cent of labour weavers secure colleague s help, whereas majority of Independent weavers (62.22 per cent), and per cent of s under Middlemen and per cent of Cooperative weavers prefer to take family help. It can be concluded that higher percentage of weavers from all categories mostly prefer and take their family support and help, than the rest for pre-loom processing in the area of study. 7.3 FACTORS ATTRACTED TO WEAVE UNDER MIDDLEMEN This data is strictly restricted to two categories of respondent weavers only, namely s under Middlemen and Labour weavers, since the other 3 categories of weaver s namely Independent weavers, Master weavers and Cooperative weavers do not work for themselves on their own units. The data regarding the factors that have led the respondent weavers to work under master weavers or middlemen is depicted in the Table

6 Lack of own equipment Table 7.3 Attracted Factors to Weave Under Master or Middlemen s under Labour Factors Nearest to house Fair wages Advance payment Regular supply of raw materials Financial Assistance' Middlemen 52 (39.39) 18 (13.64) 18 (13.64) 21 (15.91) 8 (06.06) 15 (11.36) 132 (100.00) s 46 (48.42) 12 (12.63) 11 (11.58) 15 (15.79) 3 (03.16) 8 (08.42) 95 (100.00) Source: Primary Data Note: Figures in Parenthesis indicate percentages to total. 98 (43.17) 30 (13.21) 29 (12.78) 36 (15.85) 11 (04.84) 23 (10.13) 227 (100.00) The data reveals that majority of respondent weavers (43.17 per cent) from both the categories have stated the reason to weave under Master weavers or Middlemen is due to lack of own equipment. Advance payment is the factor that has attracted per cent to work under Master s or Middlemen, whereas comparatively least percentage of weavers have mentioned the factors that attracted them to work under Master weavers or Middlemen are near to house (13.21 per cent), fair wages (12.78 per cent), and financial assistance (10.13 per cent). Only per cent of respondent weavers have stated that the reason for working under Master weavers or Middlemen is regular supply of raw materials. Coming to the factors that have been mentioned by the weavers belonging to different categories, the data reveals that majority of both of the categories of weavers i.e., weavers under Middlemen (39.39 per cent) and Labour weavers (48.42 per cent) have stated that the major factor that caused them to work under Master weavers or Middlemen is lack of own equipment and the second highest percentages of them comprising of per cent of weavers under Middlemen and per cent of Labour weavers have got attracted to work 194

7 under Master weavers or Middlemen is Advance Payment. From the above analysis, it can be concluded that majority of weavers of both categories are attracted to weave under Master weavers or Middlemen due to lack of own equipment. 7.4 PROBLEMS AND WEAVERS SUICIDES the Table 7.4. The particulars of problems that have led weavers to commit suicides are depicted in Table 7.4 PROBLEMS THAT DRIVE WEAVERS TO COMMIT SUICIDES Problems Indepen Master under Co-op Labour dent Middle men R a n k Credit or force (15.56) (13.33) (15.91) (33.33) (14.74) (16.39) Middlemen Involvement 5 (11.11) 3 (20.00) 22 (16.67) 18 (18.95) 48 (15.74) 4 Due to power loom products Lack of financial support Hike in yarn Price. Lack of govt. Assistance Lack of Marketing facilities 8 (17.78) 5 (11.11) 2 (04.44) 9 (20.00) 5 (11.11) 19 (14.39) 9 (06.82) 3 8 (20.00) (06.06) 7 32 (46.67) (24.24) - 14 (10.61) 9 (50.00) Family problems 4 (08.89) 7 (05.30) (100) (100) (100) Source: Primary Data Note: Figures in Parenthesis indicate percentages to total. 15 (15.79) 13 (13.68) 51 (16.72) 27 (08.85) 13 (04.26) (11.11) (21.06) (22.95) (06.31) (08.20) 1 (05.56) 18 (100) 9 (09.47) 95 (100) 21 (06.89) 305 (100)

8 The data reflects various types of problems that ruined the lives of different categories of weavers leading to commit suicides. If ranking is given to the type of problem suffered by the nunber of people, the major problem suffered by majority of weavers from all categories (22.95 per cent) that stands at rank 1 in the area of study is lack of Government assistance. The second major problem that worried and grieved more number of weavers of all categories (16.72 per cent) is competition from powerloom products, followed by harassment from moneylenders, the third highest problem faced by per cent of weavers. The respondents constituting per cent face problem due to involvement of middlemen, per cent weavers suffer from lack of financial support and for 8.20 per cent of them lack of marketing facilities is the major problem, while 6.89 per cent of weavers have mentioned family problems as the major reason, for very less percentage of weavers (04.26 per cent) the major problem is driving weavers to commit suicides is hike in yarn price. Looking into problems faced by category wise weavers, it is understood that majority of weavers from all categories comprising of Independent weavers (20 per cent), Master weavers (46.67 per cent), weavers under Middlemen (24.24 per cent) and Labour weavers (21.06 per cent) suffer mainly from lack of Government assistance, except Cooperative weavers, of whom 50 per cent feel as the major problem that drives them towards suicides is competition from powerloom products. The second highest percentage of Master weavers (20 per cent), weavers under Middlemen (16.67 per cent) and Labour weavers (18.95 per cent) face problems from involvement of middlemen whereas per cent of Independent weavers face problems due to competition from the products of powerlooms and per cent of Cooperative weavers face miseries due to harassment of moneylenders. On the whole, it is observed, that majority of respondent weavers from all categories commit suicides, due to lack of Government assistance, competition from powerloom products, and moneylender s harassment and middlemen involvement, in the area of study. 196