The Problems and Challenges of the Handloom Co-operative Societies in Varanasi District

: The handloom sector has a unique place in our economy. It is necessary for all round development of any state to ensure that the economic and social benefits of development should reach all the sections of society. The investigation was an attempt to know the existing socio –economic condition of co-operative society’ head, their constraints, evaluation of government welfare programs and schemes, co-operative society’ structure and condition, strength of handloom industry and future of handloom weavers and handloom industry. The present study has been conducted in Varanasi district of Uttar Pradesh which is one of the major handloom hubs. It is based on primary and secondary data. The present study was conducted in two cluster-Ram agar and Bajardiha .Out of 350 Handloom Co-operative Society 15 Co-operative Society were randomly selected and each societies 10 Handloom weavers were randomly selected.50 Master weavers and 51 weavers working under master weavers, 49 Independent weavers were purposively selected from densely populated area of Varanasi of handloom weavers. Total 370 Handloom weavers were selected and 15 head of the co-operative societies were selected for the study. A structured interview schedule was prepared and administered on respondents through personal interview method and observation method of data collection. Secondary data for study collected from the published and unpublished sources, annual reports, research, journals and various related websites. Data were analyzed with the help of appropriate statistical tools like Frequency, Percentage, Mean, Standard Deviation T test and F test. The computer software SPSS 16 was also used to find results. for finding out the socio –economic background of respondents the B.G.Prasad’s scale of Socio Economic Status 2017 were used and results were drawn from it. The cooperative heads are getting tough to cope up with modern technology due to unawareness and illiteracy. Thereby they only able to perform old traditional work and are creating designs which are getting out dated day by day. Findings of the study will provide a guideline to the planners, administrators and handloom weavers also for development and strengthening the Handloom industry.


Introduction
The Handloom Sector is one of the largest unorganized economic activities after agriculture and constitutes an integral part of the rural and semi-rural livelihood. As per the latest (3rd) Handloom Census of 2009-10, there are 23.77 lakh handlooms in the country, providing employment to 43.32 lakh handloom weavers and ancillary workers.Due to unique design and pattern, Banarasi Saree looks special and comes with some precious value. Despite of having so many heritage and cultural values, Banarasi Handloom industry is not as renovated as it should be. Weavers have to be facing a lot of challenges. Banaras is a hub of handloom Industry and providing direct and indirect employment to handloom weavers but even today, people related to this industry are not able to getting basic facilities which is required. Today Banarasi Brocade and Sarees witnesses growth in demand. Globally people are getting interested in the rich culture and tradition of Indian society and thereby there is increase in demand of Banarasi Brocade and Sarees all over the world.The cooperative weavers are the member of the government registered organization .The Contact Weavers and Loom-less weavers also work under this system.Co-operative society's Head give all things like design, card (patta), and warping yarn to the weavers and weavers weave only for wages. The Head also play a key role in distribution and marketing apart from their role in the production.Most of the Cooperative Societies are formed by the Grihasthas for availing Government grants and benefits, which are not percolating to the ordinary weaver. The investigation was an attempt to know the existing socio -economic condition of co-operative society' head,their constraints, evaluation of government welfare programs and schemes, co-operative society' structure and condition, strength of handloom industry and future of handloom weavers and handloom industry.

Objectives of the study:
1-To find out the socio-economic condition of the co-operative society's head. 2-To find out constraints faced by Handloom Co-operative society of Varanasi.
Review of literature-Narsaiah and Krishna (1999) studied the crisis in Handloom Industry. It was identified in the study that Handloom Industry has been facing the problem of improper financial facilities and irregular supply of yarn. As a result of this the Weavers' Societies and corporations are not functioning well. The raw material price increase every year and the cost of the handloom cloth has increased than the power loom Cloth. Darmaraju (2006) studied Marketing in Handloom co-operatives" and opined that over a long period of time the experience of handloom co-operatives has been a mixed one . The arbitrary mergers, excessive control by master weavers and local power groups, politicization and bureaucratization and mismanagement of funds, are some of the factors that have obstructed the efficient functioning of cooperatives. Mathiraj and Rajkumar (2008) made an analytical study on Handloom productsproduction and marketing. The study narrated the production related problems of the Handloom Weavers' Societies and reviewed the marketing process carried out by the Weavers' Societies. It was found in their study that the societies in Ramanathapuram District are facing wide fluctuation in yarn price, lack of availability of skilled labour force. It was suggested that the production pattern, sales design may be formulated to accelerate the handloom products in the market and modernization of handloom industries can be made with a moderate cost to ease down the problems of weavers. S. Mahendra Dev and et.al (2008)examined the problems and prospects of the handloom sector in Andhra Pradesh. The major finding of the study is that the monthly income of the household weaver is generally lower when he worked as member of the cooperative society and also as a weaver under the control of master weavers. The number of weavers in the co-operatives has declined by 63 per cent and most often weavers continue to be members on the rolls, but do not receive work from the societies for long periods of time and weavers generally prefer not to work for Master Weavers in places where the co-operatives were strong.
Ch. V. Krishna Reddy, Prof. Noorbasha Abdul(2013) stated in his study that Scarcity of hank yarn and perennially rising prices of the yarn and dyes have been the major problems on the production front. If all the 40 lakhs handlooms in India are to be utilized to their full capacity, around 600 million kgs of yarn is required a year. However the actual production stands around 60 per cent only.

Limitations of the study:
• The study was done only handloom weavers located in densely populated area of handloom weaving in Varanasi. • The findings of the study were based on individual research work and had limited generalization.
• The study was restricted to only few variables due to limited time and resources and the variables were measured by putting questions to each respondent through personal interview method and own observation of researchers. • The conclusion of the study was based on the data provided by the respondents. Therefore, the validity and reliability depend on how honestly, they had provided all the information. 10 member in their family, 40% of respondents had 6 to 10 member in their family only 13.3% of respondents had 1 to 5 members in their family.  shows about no of skilled weavers semi skilled unskilled as well as total weavers. The table shows that 53.4 of skilled respondent ranging between 101 to 150 weavers 33.3% of skilled respondents ranging between 51 to 100 weavers. 13.3% of skilled respondents were ranging between 1 to 50 weaves.

Results and discussion-
The table also shows that 40.0% of semi skilled weavers were ranging between 51 to 100 weavers. 33.3% of semi skilled weavers were ranging between 101 to 150 weavers 13.3% semi skilled weavers were ranging between 1 to 50 weavers. An equal percent of semi skilled weavers (6.7%) were ranging between 151 to 250 weavers.
The above table also shows that 66.7% of unskilled weavers were ranging between 1 to 50 weavers. 33.3% of unskilled weavers were ranging between 51 to 100 weavers.
The above table also shows that an equal percent of total weavers (26.7%) were ranging between 201 to 250 and 251 to 300 weavers. An equal percent of total weavers (13.3%) were ranging between 151 to 200 and 351 to 400 weavers. An equal percent of total weavers (6.7%) were ranging between 51 to 100 weavers 101 to 150 weavers and 351 to 400 weavers. The table also shows that 73.3% respondents had not having frame looms. 13.3% respondents had 2 Frame looms and an equal percent (6.7%) respondents had four frame looms and one frame looms.
The table also shows that 40% respondents had closed looms between 6 to 10 looms. 20% respondents had closed between 1 to 5 looms and equal percent of respondents (13.3%) had closed between 16 to 20 looms and 11 to 15 looms. An equal percent (6.7%) respondents had 50 closed looms and 25 closed looms . Managerial Grants 0 0.0 6.
Advertisement reimbursement 0 0.0 The table no.6 shows that 60% of respondents availed grants for training benefit to workers from Government.33.3% of respondents availed machinery grants.No one respondents were availed Share of participation, building grants, rent reimbursement ,managerial grants. Sales tax benefit, Training benefit to manager/Secretary,Advertisement reimbursement from the Government. Not Satisfied with the govt. Schemes 15 100.00 The table no.7 shows that the weavers related problems faced by co-operative society. The table shows that an equal percent of respondents (100%) were facing problems like lack of skilled workers and not satisfied with the Govt. Schemes. An equal percent of respondents (66.7%) were facing problems like lack of active members poor knowledge about modern technique and dissatisfaction with wages 33.3% of respondents were facing problems of aged people. No one respondents were facing problems of lack of training. The table no.8 shows that the input related problems faced by co-opertive society. The table shows that an equal percent of respondents (100%) were facing problems of obtaining finance and admitting members. An equal percent of respondents (66.7) were facing problems of purchase of raw material, poor quality of raw materials and high cost of production. An equal percent of respondents (33.3%) were facing problems of scarcity of looms and marketing problems. no one respondents were facing problems of delay in supply of yarn & zari. The table no 9 shows about the marketing problems faced by co-operative society. The table shows that an equal percent of respondents (100%) were facing problems of lack of active promotion and competition from mills & power looms. An equal percent of respondents (66.7%) were facing problems of lack of commercially marketable products, competitive prices and lack of export marketing knowledge. An equal percent of respondents (33.3%) were facing problems of lack of intensive distribution and not understanding the customer preferences 26.6% of respondents were facing problems of lack of customer relationship management.

Findings-
1. Majority of respondents (53.4%) belonged to the age group of more than 50 years. 2. 100% of respondents were male.majority of respondents (73.3%) had joint family.46.7% of respondents had more than 10 member in their family. 3. Majority of respondents (53.4%) were illiterate. 53.4% of respondents had monthly family income of between 50001-100000. 4. . The average members of a co -operative society were 73.67 and range was between 10 to 230 members in a co-operative society. 5. 66.7% of unskilled weavers were ranging between 1 to 50 weavers in a co-opearative society. 6. 40% respondents had closed looms between 6 to 10 looms. 7. No one respondents had availed subsidy from Share of participation,buildings grants ,rent reimbursement , Managerial Grants, sales tax benefit,Training benefit to manager/Secretary, Advertisement reimbursement. 8. (100%) were facing problems like lack of skilled workers and not satisfied with the Govt.
Schemes.(66.7%) were facing problems like lack of active members poor knowledge about modern technique and dissatisfaction with wages 33.3% were facing problems of aged people. 9. (100%) were facing problems of obtaining finance and admitting members. (66.7) were facing problems of purchase of raw material, poor quality of raw materials and high cost of production. 10. 10-(100%) were facing problems of lack of active promotion and competition from mills & power looms.

Recommendations -
During the entire course of research, It is observed that there are various factors due to which cooperative head at ground level are facing lot of challenges and industry is facing collateral damage.The cooperative heads are getting tough to cope up with modern technology due to unawareness and illiteracy. Thereby they only able to perform old traditional work and are creating designs which are getting out dated day by day.The irregular financial distribution is another factor which is impacting the interest of next generation as scarcity of income is always there.Government support is required to provide regular training to each and every member of society, assisting them with surety of availability of new designs, modern online platform to support finished products, ensuring regular and adequate financial support so that current as well as next generation also get ready to take handloom for their carrier prospective.