Efforts on to revive handloom sector: Minister

Rajahmundry: The State government was exploring various ways to revive the handloom sector in the state by implementing several new measures for weavers, said Kollu Ravindra, Minister for Excise, BC Welfare and Handlooms. Inaugurating the Malka Yarn Unit taken up with Rs 93 lakh at Pulagurtha in Anaparthy mandal in the district on Friday, he said that this sector was neglected in the past which needed revival.

Ravindra said that the handloom profession occupied second place after agriculture in the state. In this connection, the Minister assured the weavers that the government would implement the insurance scheme for the weavers in the next two or three weeks by relaxing the rules. Training would be imparted on new designs to the weavers to meet the market demand, he said.

Efforts were on to clear the stocks in the godowns and funds would also be released to APCO, he said. He advised the weavers to adopt new methods according to the changing technology. With regard to cluster approach for the weavers, the minister said that there were 31clusters at present in the State and 11 more new clusters were started, out of which three were in East Godavari District. Work sheds, weaving equipment as required by the weavers would also be provided, he added.

While speaking on loan waiver to farmers and on empowerment meets, the minister said that the State government has taken this historic decision to support the farming community and special efforts were made to strengthen them through increasing production.

District Collector Neethu Prasad, who participated in this meeting, said that there were some integrated cluster development schemes for the weavers by the Centre and State governments with a ratio of 75:25 for sheds and machines and advised them to come up with innovative plan proposals in the district to utilise them.

She further said that Rs one crore was released for new projects under cluster development scheme in the district. She advised the weavers to use the facility of weaver credit card, which provided loans up to 25,000. Stating that nearly 3,000 cards have yet to be taken by the weavers in the district, the collector said that this delay was due to ensuing loan waiver to weavers.

Anaparthy MLA N Ramakrishna Reddy, who presided over the meeting, said that Malka Yarn Unit at Pulagurtha was the first unit under cooperative weaving in the state taken up with Rs 93 lakh. Among these, Rs 26 lakh were spent for buildings, Rs 62.80 lakh for machinery and Rs 6 lakh for training.

Madannapeta MLA Y Jogeshwara Rao urged the Minister to solve the economic problems of the weaving community in the State and to consider the thirty percent rebate for weavers by constituting a committee. In this connection, Minister handed over loan waiver certificates to the farmers and new pensions to the beneficiaries.

Former MLA of Verupaksham N Moola Reddy, Weavers leader P Lalayya, president of the Pulagurtha cooperative weavers’ society and others were present.