how are master weavers exploiting the weavers
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Varanasi previously known as Benaras, has been a centre of production of handloom silk since centuries. From the one crore weavers in India, the city alone houses 1,24,832. The Varanasi silk fabrics have been eulogised in scriptures and ancient books both in the Hindu as well as in the Buddhist eras. The traditional wedding trousseau is incomplete without a Benarasi saree. In spite of the flourishing trade, the weaver of dream sarees was and is still working in pathetic conditions and living a life of abject poverty.
In order to save the common weaver from being exploited by the Master weavers or Gaddidars, the Government encouraged formation of Weavers` Cooperatives. These were intended to facilitate procurement of raw materials at cheaper rates and selling and marketing of the woven products. The cooperatives claim that after accounting for all the working expenses, the profit is distributed among the weavers at the end of the year. Unfortunately this is not the case. Weavers' share is used as working capital, bank loans and for various other schemes. The members are supposed to be provided with insurance, and have access to the Thrift and Bahudi funds. Out of 462 primary cooperative societies, 210 are active, 131 are inactive and 121 are assumed to be liquidated. There are 22,295 weavers attached to these cooperatives. Gaavesh Sarvar, 21years, educated till standard IVth, lives in Bunkar Colony, Naati Imli, Chowkaghaat. He has been a member of Silk Weavers` Colony Cooperative Society for the past eight years, but he has received no insurance cover and has not been provided with any facilities. "Only meetings takes place in the cooperative society. I have swelling in my legs during winters but no medical aid is provided. Under factory rates, daily wages are Rs. 58.20. These are not paid, instead the weaver is paid on piece basis. As most of the looms are situated at the residence where there is no adequate ventilation and provision of light, it results in weak eyesight and respiratory problems. The pit loom system makes it necessary for the weaver to keep his legs in the pit where the temperature is different resulting in the numbness of the lower portion of the body," grieves Gaavesh.
Nizam-ud-din, 55 years of age, lives in the same colony. He is a traditional weaver, works individually and does not want to join the cooperative society. He claims that the influential Master weavers form the cooperatives for their own vested interests both in the sale of the finished product and the procurement of the raw material. The Master weavers, with the help of dummy memberships of the cooperatives, try to appropriate the benefits which are actually given by the Government to the cooperative societies. The provision of insurance and various other funds exist only on paper. He also alleges that a cooperative society is just a garb for exploiting the weavers. "A weaver is exploited whether he is an individual or a member of any cooperative society," laments Nizam.
The Government of India set up the Weavers Service Centres (WSCs) in 1956 to help the handloom weavers in various aspects such as design development, design adoption, design dissemination, technical inputs in the form of research in the looms, dyes, dyeing techniques and innovations in appliances and accessories used by the weavers. The small weaver has not benefited as he hardly visits the WSCs for fear of losing his daily wages. Arif, 22 years, a traditionally trained weaver, says that the Weaver Service Centres run by the Government are of no use to the poor weavers as they are not encouraged to visit them. No actual interaction takes place between the weavers and the Government officials. The Master weavers, exporters and traders who frequent the centers are the main beneficiaries.
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