Jagatsinghpur: Earning barely Rs 100 per person per day, traditional handloom weavers in Odisha's Jagatsinghpur district are fighting for survival as their centuries-old livelihood steadily sinks into crisis.

Weavers associated with the Badabag Handloom Cooperative Society say that even after working long hours, their daily income is grossly insufficient to run a household. “If two of us work together, we earn around Rs 110 a day by weaving two gamchhas, or Rs 160–180 for a lungi. A single saree takes three to four days and fetches Rs 400 to Rs 1,000. When calculated per head, it comes to barely Rs 100 a day. How can a family survive on this?” asked a weaver in anguish.

From prosperity to decline: Once 400 weavers, now only 94 remain

According to reports, the Badabag Handloom Cooperative Society was established on October 3, 1936, in the Jagatsinghpur municipal area. The society is set to complete 100 years in the next decade. Before the 1999 super cyclone, almost every family in the area depended on weaving, with membership exceeding 400.

However, rising prices of essential commodities, shrinking demand for handloom products, and prolonged financial hardship forced many families to abandon the profession. As nearly 80 per cent of weavers moved away from the craft, the society’s membership has now dropped to just 94, of whom only about 55 remain active.

Meagre wages, rising costs

Weavers explained that producing handloom items requires the labour of at least two family members. Despite this, the returns remain dismal. With inflation steadily rising, families say the traditional occupation is no longer economically viable, pushing younger generations to seek alternative livelihoods.

Call for allowance and annual assistance

The weavers have urged the government to introduce a dedicated weaver pension scheme and provide annual financial assistance similar to benefits extended to farmers. They warn that without special support, the handloom tradition will disappear within a few years.

Cooperative seeks modernisation support

Bijay Kumar Das, secretary of the cooperative society, said government training programmes are being held regularly. However, he stressed that training alone is not enough. “If the government ensures a fixed allowance for weavers and modernises the sector, this traditional profession can survive. Otherwise, it will slowly vanish,” he said.

With livelihoods dwindling and youth turning away from the loom, Jagatsinghpur’s handloom heritage now stands at a critical crossroads, awaiting decisive policy intervention.