Why is it important for our country to keep the mill sector loomage lower than power loom and handloom?
It is important to keep the mill sector loomage lower than power loom and handloom because weaving is highly decentralised to provide scope for incorporating traditional skills and designs of weaving in cotton, silk, zari, embroidery, etc.
The handspun khadi provides large scale employment to weavers in their homes as a cottage industry. This helps reduce the heavy dependence of people on agricultural income by providing them jobs in secondary and tertiary sectors. A lower mill sector loomage ensures that the livelihood of farmers, cotton boll pluckers and workers engaged in ginning, spinning, weaving, dyeing, designing, packaging, tailoring and sewing is protected.
Explanation
The textbook context highlights that weaving in India is deliberately kept decentralised to preserve traditional skills and designs. The handloom and khadi sector provides large-scale employment as a cottage industry, which is crucial for a country like India where manufacturing industries help reduce dependence on agricultural income. The mill sector, being more capital-intensive and centralised, cannot provide the same level of employment as the decentralised handloom and power loom sectors. This question tests the student's understanding of the employment potential and cultural significance of decentralised weaving in India.