WB Handloom & Khadi Weavers Financial Benefit Scheme — ₹1L–₹10L Grant

The Assistance to Viable and Potentially Viable PWCS is one sub-scheme of the wider West Bengal Handloom and Khadi Weavers Financial Benefit Scheme 2024, notified by the state's Department of Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises and Textiles. It took effect on 7 March 2024 and is framed to remain in force for five years.

The scheme places money directly with the people who keep West Bengal's handloom and Khadi traditions alive — individual weavers as well as the cooperative bodies they work through. Both Primary Weavers' Cooperative Societies (PWCS) and Khadi societies are covered, provided they clear the viability test set for this sub-scheme.

The reasoning behind it is practical. Handloom and Khadi weaving is a large rural employer in the state and a living part of its cultural heritage, yet weaver households and their cooperatives frequently lack the working capital to buy raw material, upgrade equipment or reach fresh buyers. This assistance is designed to close that gap, bring more economic stability to weaving families and cooperatives, lift productivity, and support sustainable livelihoods on the loom across West Bengal.

• Non-repayable grant of ₹1,00,000 to ₹10,00,000 from the Government of West Bengal
• Open to handloom and Khadi weavers as well as Primary Weavers' Cooperative Societies and Khadi societies
• Rolling intake — no fixed last date to apply
• Run by the Department of Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises and Textiles; notified on 7 March 2024 and valid for five years
• Grant size is decided by a state-level committee based on activity level and viability
• No repayment and no equity dilution

The scheme is open to weavers active in West Bengal's handloom and Khadi sectors, and to the cooperative organisations that bring them together.

Individual applicants covered include:

• Handloom weavers across the recognised categories — entrepreneur weavers (also called master weavers), individual weavers, allied workers associated with handloom weaving, weavers working in the cooperative fold, and weavers attached to handloom clusters.
• Khadi weavers.

Organisations that may apply:

• Primary Weavers' Cooperative Societies (PWCS).
• Khadi societies.

Cooperatives and societies must satisfy the viability criteria fixed under this sub-scheme — the support is aimed at units that are viable, or that have the potential to become viable with assistance. The scheme is state-specific: applicants must be carrying on handloom or Khadi weaving activity within West Bengal.

WB Handloom & Khadi Weavers Financial Benefit Scheme — ₹1L–₹10L Grant is open to startups at any stage. It is open to startups registered anywhere in India.

WB Handloom & Khadi Weavers Financial Benefit Scheme — ₹1L–₹10L Grant accepts applications on a rolling basis — there is no fixed cut-off date, so eligible startups can apply at any time. Because rolling programmes can pause without notice, confirm the window is still open on the official site before you start.

This is a non-repayable grant. It is not a loan and not an equity investment — nothing has to be returned, and no stake in the beneficiary's activity or society is taken.

Sanctioned amounts fall between ₹1,00,000 and ₹10,00,000. The exact figure is settled case by case and depends on the scale of activity of the Primary Weavers' Cooperative Society or the individual weaver, along with the viability assessment.

The money is meant to be put to work in the weaving operation itself, including:

• Working capital for day-to-day activity.
• Technology upgrades.
• Raw material procurement.
• Marketing and sales initiatives.

The underlying goal is to raise the productive capacity and financial security of handloom and Khadi weavers, letting them invest in their craft, widen their market reach, protect their livelihoods and add to the state's textile economy.

WB Handloom & Khadi Weavers Financial Benefit Scheme — ₹1L–₹10L Grant is offered by Department of Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises and Textiles, Government of West Bengal, a government body. As a government-backed grant, it is publicly funded and open to eligible startups across India.

There is no first-come-first-served allotment. Every application is evaluated on its merits.

A state-level committee constituted under this scheme sets the viability criteria and applies them. The committee reviews the documentation submitted by individual weavers, Primary Weavers' Cooperative Societies and Khadi societies.

Its assessment weighs factors such as:

• The applicant's current level of weaving activity.
• How efficiently the unit operates.
• The market the applicant can realistically reach.
• How the applicant proposes to use the funds.

Applicants who make it through this screening may then be asked to undergo further verification or an interview, so the committee can confirm eligibility and judge the likely impact of the assistance.

The final decision rests on the committee's overall evaluation, with support directed towards those best positioned to turn it into sustainable growth.

Before you apply to WB Handloom & Khadi Weavers Financial Benefit Scheme — ₹1L–₹10L Grant, keep the following documents ready:

• A pitch deck or short business plan describing the problem, product and traction
• Company registration documents and PAN
• Founder identification (PAN / Aadhaar) and brief profiles
• Recent financial statements or projections
• Product details — a demo, prototype or working link if available

Exact requirements are confirmed on the official application portal — treat this as a preparation checklist.

WB Handloom & Khadi Weavers Financial Benefit Scheme — ₹1L–₹10L Grant is best suited for startups in India seeking non-dilutive funding of ₹1L – ₹10L. If that describes your startup, review the eligibility criteria above before applying.