The traditional looms of seven weavers’ industrial cooperative societies in Palakkad district have become functional after a long gap this week with the State Cabinet deciding to use handloom for uniforms of students of government-run schools.
As per the plan, free handloom uniforms would be made available to 1,15,297 students in the district by the beginning of the academic year.
According to District Industries Centre general manager G. Rajmohan, 70 weavers of the seven societies located in Kollangode, Alathur, Chittur, and Elappully will benefit from the scheme.
Wages to the tune of ₹28 lakh would be distributed among the weavers. For repairing looms, ₹3 lakh has already been allotted.
Quality check
The uniform material would be subjected to thorough quality check before distribution at schools. All girls and boys up to Class 8 in the below the poverty line category are given free uniforms by the State government.
Being the district with largest number of traditional weavers, Palakkad is expecting additional orders from other districts. The government had taken the decision on handwoven uniforms to improve the lot of traditional weavers.
The weaver villages in the district are focusing on other means of survival now because of accumulating losses and lack of opportunities for diversification.
For several centuries, weaver villages in Palakkad were the major source of handloom dress material for Kerala, which was then spread over princely States. After Independence, the weavers were brought under cooperative societies and they had a wide marketing network. Buyers from all over India and abroad flocked to the villages to buy products ranging from saris to dhotis. However, lack of encouragement from the government and meagre profits forced many to leave the profession. “Even our children found other ways to build their lives. So the weaving tradition has come to an end,” laments S. Selvan, a weaver of Karimpuzha, near Mannarkkad.
