Speaker inaugurates Handloom expo at Assembly

Amaravati: The Handloom Fabrics Exhibition and Sales Centre set up at the premises of the Andhra Pradesh Legislative Assembly here was inaugurated on Thursday by Speaker Chintakayala Ayyanna Patrudu.

The exhibition, organised under the aegis of Andhra Pradesh State Handloom Weavers Cooperative Society (APCO), showcases a wide range of handloom products from different regions of the state. The Speaker thoroughly inspected the stalls and interacted with the weavers, appreciating their craftsmanship and dedication. In a gesture to encourage the artisans, Ayyanna Patrudu personally purchased silk sarees, a silk dhoti, and a shirt from the exhibition. He said it was a matter of pride that Andhra Pradesh has the highest number of handloom societies in the country, with nearly 32 to 33 cooperative societies operating from the state.

The Speaker noted that the exhibition brings together handloom products from various districts on a single platform, enabling people to witness the richness and diversity of the state’s weaving tradition. He said the initiative aims to promote awareness about Andhra Pradesh’s handloom heritage and extend support to weavers.

Stating that the government is making every effort to uplift handloom workers, he appealed to ministers, MLAs, and MLCs to visit the stalls and purchase handloom products to boost the morale of artisans. The stalls will remain open until the conclusion of the ongoing Budget Session, offering quality fabrics at discounts of up to 40 per cent.

Commissioner of Handlooms Rekha Rani turned a model to display the handloom sarees and Deputy Speaker Raghurama Krishnam Raju also posed as a model to display handloom material. MLA Vemireddy Prasanthi Reddy purchased some high-end sarees each costing around Rs 1.5 lakh.