International Journal of Interdisciplinary Research in Science Society and Culture(IJIRSSC) Vol: 2, Issue:1, (June Issue), 2016 ISSN: (P) 2395-4345, (O) 2455-2909 © IJIRSSC Socio-Economic Assessment and Marketing Constraints of the Handloom Units - a Case Study of Bishnupur Municipal Town, Bankura District (West Bengal) Tanisha Mitra Faculty, Department of Geography Bidhan Chandra College, Rishra (Under University of Calcutta) 31. G.T. Road (East), Hooghly – 712248, West Bengal ____________________________________________________________________________________________ ABSTRACT : Handlooms are synonymous with Indian traditions. They occupy a significant part of the economy and are a vital employment provider in millions of rural households. Handlooms are a distinguished non-farm sector in our country. Bishnupur municipal town in Bankura district of West Bengal is a cradle of handloom weavers, who create magic with silk threads and produce the unique Baluchari and Swarnachuri saris which portray our rich heritage. There are around 1220 looms producing handlooms worth Rs 16 million annually in Bishnupur municipal town. More than 15% of the total workforce in the area is engaged in Handloom production. This paper is an attempt to assess the socio-economic profile of the weaver households in some wards of Bishnupur municipality. The uniqueness of Baluchari saris which are a speciality of the Bishnupur handloom units have been analysed here and their production processes have been dealt with. The paper also sheds light on various problems especially related to marketing and promotion of handloom products. Mostly illiterate and unskilled, the weavers are subject to credit and infrastructural problems and fall prey to middlemen or mahajans, who claim a large share of their earnings and deprive the weavers despite their hardwork. Finally some possible recommendations in the form of credit facilities, product diversification and market promotion have been stated to enhance the livelihood of the weavers. Keywords: : Baluchari saris, Bishnupur weavers , Handloom unit, Marketing problems , Traditional Art, _________________________________________________________________________________________ I. Introduction: Industrialisation refers to a phenomenon of social and economic transformation that transforms an agrarian economy into an industrial sector[1].. Industries can further be grouped according to rural and urban locations. Generally, „cottage industries‟ form a part of „rural industries‟. Goods are produced manually usually with the help of family members. The Fiscal Commission in 1950, defined a cottage industry as “one which is carried on wholly or primarily with the help of members of the family either as a whole or a part-time occupation” [2] . Cottage industries further comprise of Handlooms, Handicrafts, Coir, Silk and Khadi and village industries. www.ijirssc.in Page 191 International Journal of Interdisciplinary Research in Science Society and Culture(IJIRSSC) Vol: 2, Issue:1, (June Issue), 2016 ISSN: (P) 2395-4345, (O) 2455-2909 © IJIRSSC Handlooms being labour intensive in nature employ a large number of unskilled rural populations [3.] The art of spinning is an ancient art thriving in many households of rural Bengal but is now almost on the verge of extinction. Facing threats from different spheres, the handloom weavers need strong structural and financial support to deal with the constraints and an assessment is thus necessary to understand their status. II. Objectives of the Study: The main objectives in this paper is - 1. To evaluate the socio-economic conditions of the sample households. 2. To analyse the performance and progress of the handloom units. 3. To observe the marketing facilities and marketing problems of the handloom fabrics. 4. To identify other problems faced by the weavers and suggest suitable remedial measures for their wellbeing. III. Database and Methodology: The study is primarily based on both primary and secondary data. The primary data have been gathered through structured questionnaires, personal interviews, discussions and observations. Secondary data were collected from the reports of Census Office, Bishnupur Municipality Office, Handloom Development Office (Bankura) various books and journals have also been used as reference. The collected data have been analysed to understand the socio-economic conditions and marketing problems of the weaver households. IV. Selection of the Study Area: Bishnupur in Bankura district (West Bengal) is located between 22057‟15”N to 23012‟32”N latitude and 87031‟46‟‟E to 87024‟11‟‟E longitude. Bishnupur (also spelt Vishnupur) is named after Lord Vishnu, the deity of the Vaishnavite Malla kings who ruled it. The town had a glorious past in the 17th and 18th centuries. It was the capital of the Malla Kingdom. Bishnupur is famous for its unique architecture and traditional handicrafts such as weaving and pottery. Situated at an average elevation of 59 metres, the total population of Bishnupur municipal town according to 2011 census was 67783. Bishnupur Municipal town lies within the Bishnupur sub-division in Bankura district. The municipality is bordered in the North by the Darika Goswaipur Panchayat, Morr Panchayat in the South, Pansuili Panchayat in the East and Dwadas Bari Panchayat in the West. Bishnupur municipal town is a significant trade centre in West Bengal. The economy is trade based involving retail and wholesale business. Cottage industries such as Brass Metals, Handloom Weaving and Conch-shell products are the prime source of income for a large section of people. www.ijirssc.in Page 192 International Journal of Interdisciplinary Research in Science Society and Culture(IJIRSSC) Vol: 2, Issue:1, (June Issue), 2016 ISSN: (P) 2395-4345, (O) 2455-2909 © IJIRSSC In the 18th century and the early part of the 19th century, Bishnupur played a vital role in the commerce of East India Company due to the famous Bishnupur silks There was a huge demand for embroidered silk scarves and „Dhupchhaya‟ saris in the foreign market. Table 1: Handloom Units in Bishnupur Sub-division (2004 - 05) Sl No. Name of the Block No.of Looms 1. Bishnupur 154 2. Joypur 575 3. Kotulpur 508 4. Indas 338 5. Patrasayer 581 6. Sonamukhi 79 Source: Handloom Development Office, Bankura Ward Nos. 12 and 17 of Bishnupur Municipality house most of the production units of Baluchari, Swarnachuri and other traditional products of silk and cotton such as bed-sheets, towels and „gamchhas‟, shirting etc. The locality is known as Tantipara owing to the weavers or „Tantis‟. Almost every household consists of a loom where the master craftsmen weave out colourful and intricate designs on silk. Baluchari and Swarnachuri are the most well known products of the units. Table 2: Categories of Handloom Units Categories Type of Unit Nature of Product of the Unit Unit produced Silk based Baluchari I products Swarnachuri Katan silk Tasar Silk Unit produced Non-Silk based Bedsheet II products Woolen Chadar Gamchha Cotton Thans www.ijirssc.in Page 193 International Journal of Interdisciplinary Research in Science Society and Culture(IJIRSSC) Vol: 2, Issue:1, (June Issue), 2016 ISSN: (P) 2395-4345, (O) 2455-2909 © IJIRSSC V. Result and Discussion: Demographic highlights of the weaver households: According to the 2011 Census, there are 690 and 583 households in Ward Nos. 12 and 17 respectively under Bishnupur Municipality. Some demographic aspects of the two localities have been discussed below: Population Composition: The total population of Ward Nos. 12 and 17 is 3252 and 2601 respectively. In both the wards, the male female population is almost balanced. In Ward 12, 50.5% are males, whereas, 49.5% are females. On the other hand, in Ward 17, 51.7% are males and 48.3% of the population are females. Caste Composition: The weavers in the study area belong mainly to the General Caste, while a small percentage of population belongs to the Scheduled Caste category. No Scheduled Tribe population has been found. In Ward No. 12, 86.2% of population belong to General Caste and only 13.8% belong to SC category. On the other hand, in Ward No. 17, 90.6% of population belong to General Caste and only 9.4% belong to SC category. The weavers of ward no. 12 belong to Bauri community and there is also a slum area named Kailashtala Bauri Para, where people of lower class and poor economic background reside. Literacy Status: Literacy forms the backbone of any developing society. Bishnupur, though a heritage town does not lag behind in its educational pursuits. The predominance of literate population in comparison to its illiterate counterpart verifies the same. In ward no. 12, almost 74% of the population is literate while 26% is illiterate. On the other hand, in ward no. 17, nearly 85.7% of the population is literate and only 14.3% have not received education. Literacy among female members of the family has also been noticed. Govt. Schemes such as Sarva Siksha Abhiyan and Anganwari schools have played a major role in this case. Besides a number of primary, secondary and higher secondary schools in Bishnupur municipal town, there is also a degree college (Ramananda College) and a Polytechnic Institution in the area. Occupational Status: The study area comprises mostly of weaver households. Agriculture has taken a back foot since irrigation facilities are not well developed and production is low. The farmers have to depend on alternative sources of income and the cottage and small scale industries provide such alternative employment. They also require relatively low amount of capital fund. The www.ijirssc.in Page 194 International Journal of Interdisciplinary Research in Science Society and Culture(IJIRSSC) Vol: 2, Issue:1, (June Issue), 2016 ISSN: (P) 2395-4345, (O) 2455-2909 © IJIRSSC number of main other workers and main household workers are high in both ward nos. 12 and 17 in comparison to main agricultural labourers. Household Income: Most of the weaver households belong to poor category. Weavers engaged in Silk Units earn Rs 150 to Rs 200 a day, while those engaged in the Cotton Units get around Rs 90 to Rs 120 per day.