Syllabus: GS-III & V- Inclusive Growth

Why in the news?

Assam celebrated Women’s Entrepreneurship Day with over 3,200 women weavers becoming entrepreneurs under community-led handloom initiatives supported by Cairn Oil & Gas in partnership with Assam State Rural Livelihoods Mission.

Transformation of Weaving into Rural Entrepreneurship

• More than 3,200 rural women in Golaghat and Jorhat districts have transformed from traditional household weavers into income-generating entrepreneurs.
• The initiative was supported by Cairn Oil & Gas (Vedanta Ltd.) along with the Assam State Rural Livelihoods Mission, which created community handloom centres in villages such as Borchapori and Agchamua.
• These centres helped women convert generational weaving knowledge into self-sustaining livelihood opportunities.
  

Key Features of the Initiative

• Handloom centres were established with upgraded looms, improved infrastructure, and technical mentoring to increase productivity.
• Women weavers reported nearly a 30% rise in productivity, enabling them to meet growing market demands.
• Apart from weaving high-quality gamosas, the women expanded their product range to include mekhela chadors, shawls, and other handloom products.
• The handloom output is being supplied under the Swanirbhar Naari scheme of the Assam Government, which promotes sale of gamosas made by self-help groups.
  

Impact on Livelihoods and Social Empowerment

• Many women have achieved financial independence for the first time.
• Weavers shared that upgraded looms helped them produce up to five gamosas a day, significantly enhancing income.
• The initiative has fostered greater confidence, autonomy, and decision-making power among rural women.
• By creating sustainable work opportunities within villages, the programme has strengthened local economies, reduced migration, and encouraged community-led development.
  

Alignment with National Goals

• The initiative supports India’s vision of women-led development under the Viksit Bharat mission.
• It integrates goals of livelihood enhancement, rural entrepreneurship, and skill development.
• It also demonstrates successful collaboration between private sector (Cairn), state government (ASRLM), and SHGs.
  

SOURCE