No demand for handloom curtains despite govt order, 5k Bihar weavers left in lurch

More than 5,000 weavers associated with the Bihar State Handloom Weavers Cooperative Union Limited (BISHCOTEX ), a registered society, are worried these days about the fate of the products they had made for various government departments, government hospitals, and prisons.

Over 84,000 pieces of handloom curtains have been lying at the BISHCOTEX office in the state for nearly two years. Stacked at the BISHCOTEX store for the last several months, the products are losing their shine and colour, and some have also gotten damaged due to dampness and humidity.

These handloom curtains were prepared by BISHCOTEX weavers following a government decision to use handloom curtains in all government offices, hospitals and prisons. It was intended to provide employment to the handloom weavers and to promote handloom products. However, there is no demand for the curtains, and hence the weavers have not been paid.

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“I have no idea about the matter. The case that some handloom products are waiting to be purchased, should have been brought to my notice,” Syed Shahnawaz Hussain, industry minister, said. He said he would meet them and try to help them.

Md Naquib Ahmad, chairman, BISHCOTEX, said, he had written about it to the then industry department secretary, S Siddharth, when the products were ready in 2019 and his response was quite encouraging, but soon he was shifted to another department.

“We even wrote to the district magistrates about the handloom curtains and the government decision, but there has been no response,” he said.

the chairman said that the government had announced the order in 2019. “Weavers were very excited, and they prepared handloom curtains in bulk. But there has been no order,” he said.

By May 2019, more than 60,000 pieces were ready and were brought to the BISHCOTEX office, he added.

“Weavers are now worried how to recover their investment,” he said.