In a major relief to the weaver community in the State, the Telangana government, on the occasion of National Handloom Day, on Sunday launched ‘Nethanna Bima’, a first-of-its-kind scheme in the country, which would extend life insurance coverage to handloom and powerloom weavers.
Handloom Minister K.T. Rama Rao virtually launched the scheme at the handloom exhibition-cum-sales event at People’s Plaza on Necklace Road here and urged the Central government to exclude handloom from GST as it was having an adverse impact on the weavers and the entire handloom sector.
"On August 7, 1905, the Swadeshi movement was launched by Mahatma Gandhi against the British and to promote handlooms. Unfortunately, after 75 years of Independence, the BJP government was the first to levy GST on handlooms," he said, adding that the central government must withdraw its decision in the interest of weavers in the country.
