The Bunkar Mitra Helpline for Handloom Weavers has been introduced by Union Ministry of Textiles. It was launched by Smriti Zubin Irani, Union Textiles Minister, on the occasion of Good Governance Day, i.e. on December 25, 2016. The helpline has been launched with an aim to offer a single point of contact to all handloom weavers across the nation for seeking guidance and for addressing their queries.
Bunkar Mitra Helpline can be accessed using toll free number 1800-208-9988. The Ministry of Textiles has established a “Bunkar Mitra-Handloom Helpline Centre” where professional/experts in the field of textile will answer queries of handloom weavers.
The helpline functions from 10.00 a.m. in the morning to 6 p.m. in the evening and is provided in 7 languages, including Hindi, English, and regional languages, Tamil, Telugu, Bengali, Kannada, and Assamese.
Key Features of the Bunkar Mitra Helpline
1. The helpline aims to uplift the level of skill and technology in the Indian textile industry.
2. It also helps overcome the problem of unavailability of single point of contact where handloom weavers can get solutions for the technical issues faced by them.
3. The helpline offers several services, including assistance to weavers on technical issues, access to marketing linkages, and information on various procedure and schemes that help weavers avail benefits.
4. Through this helpline, weavers can take advice of textile experts on quality control, supply of raw material, availing credit facility, marketing linkages and beneficial schemes.
5. The helpline is available on all 7 days of the week, from 10 A.M. to 6 P.M. Weavers can call from anywhere across the country.
6. The service is available in 7 languages, English, Hindi, Assamese, Tamil, Kannada, Telugu, and Bengali.
At present, 28 Weavers’ Service Centres (WSCs) are running across the nation to provide technical assistance to handloom weavers in order to make them aware about technology and improve their skills. But, for seeking technical assistance, weavers have to visit the WSCs personally. There was no single point of contact where handloom weavers can get technical help. So Union Ministry of Textiles launched Bunkar Mitra Helpline for Handloom Weavers.
