The Tamil Nadu government, which is in the midst of preparing the budget for 2019-20, should launch a scheme of income support for weavers and spinners in the Khadi sector, on the lines of the Kerala model. Making this demand, representatives of the sector say that in Kerala, the government meets the difference between earnings of the artisans and the minimum wage rates fixed for the Khadi sector.

The reason behind the demand is not far to seek. The earnings of weavers and spinners in Tamil Nadu are much less than the minimum wages prescribed for several other trades. A spinner can hope to get a maximum of ₹4,500 per month while a weaver, ₹7, 500 per month, says S. Sivakumar, former president of Tamil Nadu Sarvodaya Sangh. In other words, the daily wage rates come to ₹150 and ₹250. For a comparison, the daily wage of an unskilled worker in agriculture, as fixed by the Central government, ranges from ₹321 to ₹355; for a semi-skilled worker, ₹328 to ₹389 and a skilled worker, ₹356 to ₹422.

Even though the State government fixes minimum wages for 76 employments, the Khadi sector is not covered. But the situation in Kerala is different. There, the rates of minimum wage are fixed for 11 types of work, according to an order issued by the Kerala Labour and Skills Department in August 2018.

Mr. Sivakumar says the introduction of the concept of minimum wages will benefit about 25,000 spinners and 45,000 weavers in the Khadi industry of Tamil Nadu.

Youngsters reluctant

Thanks to the absence of the minimum wages, the main problem being faced by the sector is that youngsters are not willing to work in the field as they have high aspirations, according to K. Shivakumar, managing trustee of the Gandhigram Trust. “Their situation is understandable,” he observes, adding that this only underscores the need of the intervention of the State government in ensuring decent wages for the artisans.

Explaining the rationale behind the income support scheme, M. Sureshbabu, director (Khadi) of the Kerala government, says that the sector, with its modest means, will not be able to absorb, on its own, the growing rates of minimum wages fixed by the government at periodical intervals. As it is one of the traditional sectors, providing employment to a large number of persons, the Kerala government is following the scheme since 2007-08.

On an average, each artisan gets ₹150 to ₹200 per day from the government, over and above what he or she may earn, which will be around ₹150. This year, the government has set apart a total of ₹21 crore to be disbursed among 13,500 persons working in 90 units, Mr. Sureshbabu adds.

S. Natarajan, Chief Executive Officer, Khadi and Village Industries Board, was not available for comment.