Impact of COVID-19 on the Health and Working Condition of Handloom Weavers in Madhya Pradesh: A Secondary Data Study

Author

Dimple Patidar, Dr. Sudheesh B.


Abstract

 This research paper highlights the plight and the socio-economic changes in the lives of traditional handloom weavers from Chanderi and Maheshwar, Madhya Pradesh, during the COVID-19 pandemic. By using a comparative secondary framework, this study synthesizes evidence from major regional handloom clusters to analyze ground-level economic vulnerabilities. Data shows that handloom workers experienced severe livelihood disruptions during the lockdown phase. Approximately 72% of the weaving workforce became fully unemployed or was left without continuous daily work. This sudden collapse of manufacturing activities had a distressing impact on their mental health and household food security, leading to a state where 78% of the weavers suffered from intense stress and anxiety, while 65% of the artisan families faced acute dietary and resource shortages. During the peak lockdown period, the raw material supply chain was completely broken, resulting in the total halting of looms that traditionally operated for 8 to 10 hours a day. Furthermore, logistical hurdles caused a severe crisis where more than 85% of running textile orders were abruptly canceled. As a direct consequence, 90% of weavers' average monthly earnings dropped significantly to less than ₹5,000. Institutional market closures and exhibition cancellations (92%), combined with a sharp rise in cotton and silk yarn prices (84%), emerged as the biggest structural barriers to their craft. Left with a severe liquidity crunch, 76% of the traditional artisans were forced to secure urgent credit from unorganized local lenders at high interest rates. This synthesis study indicates that providing an immediate institutional government safety net, establishing localized raw material banks, and connecting these traditional weaving communities to online e-commerce platforms through digital onboarding are crucial intervention steps for their long-term preservation.



Keywords

COVID-19 Pandemic, Handloom Weavers, Chanderi and Maheshwar, Madhya Pradesh, Livelihood Crisis, Socio-Economic Impact, Secondary Data.



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References


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