Handloom weaving is popular in Srikalahasti, Varadhaiahpalem, Satyavedu, Madanapalle, Puttur and Nagari of Chittoor district. The main products include solid bordered sarees, dhoties, lungies, towels, bed spreads, handkerchiefs and angavastrams. Of these, handkerchiefs are popular. Spinning and weaving manually which were chief cottage industries at one time in the district, languished with the passage of time. Silk and wool weaving is also pursued at a number of places like Chittoor proper, Palamanear, Kuppam. The educational and economic background of weavers shown by respondents is very backward. There is gross inequality in the distribution of assets in the form of land, house, looms etc. among different weavers. This inequality naturally leads to differences in income. The master weavers have greater income than other types of weavers. This is reflected again in the differences between monthly expenditure among food, clothing and personal expenditure. It is necessary to reduce these inequalities within the same activity. For this, the type of weavers whose asset value is at low levels should be strengthened through provision of land, looms and houses and thus enable the more weaker sections to increase their average income. This will put all the weavers in the same and also upgraded plan of income and standard of living. The lack of proper housing facilities for the weavers has a bearing on the production, income and standard of living. As most of them depend upon pit looms their weaving activity is badly affected during rainy season when the pits are filled with water and do not allow the weavers to carryout weaving. Provision of proper housing facilities or common weaving sheds will relieve the weavers from handicap of housing and enable them for higher earnings and increase their levels of living.Handloom industry, compared to mill sector, does not have well organized institutional setup in production and marketing. The weavers are widely dispersed throughout the length and breadth of the country so also in the state and district. They are unable to come under one organizational umbrella which can protect their interest. The handloom industry can be given fair weather treatment by the Government through series of steps, measures and programmes which include strict reservation of viable items to the handloom sector, providing necessary infrastructure for the handloom industry.Handloom weaving is popular in Srikalahasti, Varadhaiahpalem, Satyavedu, Madanapalle, Puttur and Nagari of Chittoor district. The main products include solid bordered sarees, dhoties, lungies, towels, bed spreads, handkerchiefs and angavastrams. Of these, handkerchiefs are popular. Spinning and weaving manually which were chief cottage industries at one time in the district, languished with the passage of time. Silk and wool weaving is also pursued at a number of places like Chittoor proper, Palamanear, Kuppam. The educational and economic background of weavers shown by respondents is very backward. There is gross inequality in the distribution of assets in the form of land, house, looms etc. among different weavers. This inequality naturally leads to differences in income. The master weavers have greater income than other types of weavers. This is reflected again in the differences between monthly expenditure among food, clothing and personal expenditure. It is necessary to reduce these inequalities within the same activity. For this, the type of weavers whose asset value is at low levels should be strengthened through provision of land, looms and houses and thus enable the more weaker sections to increase their average income. This will put all the weavers in the same and also upgraded plan of income and standard of living. The lack of proper housing facilities for the weavers has a bearing on the production, income and standard of living. As most of them depend upon pit looms their weaving activity is badly affected during rainy season when the pits are filled with water and do not allow the weavers to carryout weaving. Provision of proper housing facilities or common weaving sheds will relieve the weavers from handicap of housing and enable them for higher earnings and increase their levels of living.Handloom industry, compared to mill sector, does not have well organized institutional setup in production and marketing. The weavers are widely dispersed throughout the length and breadth of the country so also in the state and district. They are unable to come under one organizational umbrella which can protect their interest. The handloom industry can be given fair weather treatment by the Government through series of steps, measures and programmes which include strict reservation of viable items to the handloom sector, providing necessary infrastructure for the handloom industry.
Keywords: Handloom weaving, chief cottage industries, upgraded plan, series of steps, measures and programmes, necessary infrastructure etc.
