Kerala's free school uniform could lift struggling handloom industry

Looking at their neatly folded uniforms laid out at home, LP school students Nitha Kumar and Nimisha seem elated - this time when the schools reopen for classes they will be wearing these brightly designed new skirts and tops. So what is special about them? They are all handwoven by Kerala’s traditional handloom workers and were given for free by the government.

An initiative to help the struggling traditional handloom workers, the Kerala Government launched free handloom uniforms for students. Government school students from class I to VII will be wearing the new uniforms as they go to school from next academic year. The project targets 8.5 lakh students as beneficiaries and would procure 42 lakh metres of handloom cloths.  Apart from providing uniforms free to students, the scheme aims to help workers in the struggling traditional handloom industry.

Though the government is already providing money to buy a pair of uniforms for students up to standard VIII, it is not feasible for the state to distribute uniforms to all these students. So, in the first phase, the uniforms will be given away to students up to standard VII, with the remaining getting money to buy uniforms.

The government will accelerate the handloom productions to meet the requirements. The scheme has also created about 2 lakh working days for around 8000 labourers in the handloom industry. In all, 43 quality inspectors will monitor the operations and ensure the products meet the required quality and standard for uniforms.

The state will provide up to Rs 4000 to cover the maintenance cost of the looms and increase the daily wage limit of the workers from Rs 150 to Rs 350 and Rs 600. While the Kerala State Handloom Development Corporation Ltd (KSHDC) will distribute handloom uniforms from Kasargod to Thrissur, Handloom Weavers' Cooperative Society Ltd (Hantex) will carry out the job in other districts.

Kerala's kind gesture towards students and handloom workers has won admirers in the Centre too, with the Union Textiles Ministry writing to all the other states and union territories directing them to explore the possibility of implementing free uniform projects.