Sawai Madhopur Cluster

Overview

Situated at a distance of 170 km from Jaipur, Sawai Madhopur is a district known for famous tiger sanctuary "Ranthanmbore". Barring the tourism potential, the district is a laggard in terms of industrial growth as virtually no big/small industries are located out there.

The district however has an ancient tradition of textiles, pursued by the rural & traditional artisan communities in various form-cloth weaving, tie-dye, printing and stitching of ethnic garments like pomcha, razai, chhint etc. As large population of the district is poverty ridden, with low means of livelihood, most such ancient craft had either died or are in a languishing status.

Against this backdrop, RCCI chose to work in this district by adopting old powerloom cluster at Ansari Mohalla and some nearby villages to revive women oriented textile crafts of tie & dye, embroidery and value addition.

RCCI's Strategy for Development

A) Replication of successful model interventions
After experimenting successfully with Business Development Service Provider Model in Jaipur & Sanganer textile clusters, the model replicated in Powerloom cluster and other rural areas of Sawai madhopur including Shiwad & Alanpur. The target group beneficiaries are provided with need based services through BDSPs, ranging from Skill Development to marketing of cluster products.

B) Expansion into New Clusters

Collaborative Interventions are made with different resource agencies in the areas like capacity building, technology upgradation & marketing. Some successful interventions carried out as under:

     (i)   Formation of "Ranthambore Weavers' society" the nodal association for 
           powerloom weavers

(ii)        Buyer-Seller meeting at RCCI, Jaipur for Powerloom weavers in association with AEPC (Apparel Export Promotion Council) & Textile Committee.

(iii)       Technology awareness visit (exposure trip) to Kishangarh Powerloom cluster with Powerloom Service Centre, Kishangarh.

(iv)       Skill upgradation programme in Powerloom weaving with Textile Committee, Jaipur & Office of Textile Commissioner,Noida.

(v)          Skill training of weaver women in Tie & Dye in association with local entrepreneurs at Sawai Madhopur.

(vi)   Organization of health camps on TB, Asthma, Eye-Treatment etc.

(vii)   Exposure trip to Panipat Textile Cluster.

     Bambori Rural Cluster

A neighboring village situated at 10-12 kms from Sawai Madhopur where extremely poor people (BPL) reside with no land holding. Men folk are the casual labors whereas women are confined to do household cleaning jobs in nearby locality.

Rita Singh, Secretary – Mahila Sewa Sadan Samiti, Sawai Madhopur