Saris woven by enterprising weavers of Venkatagiri enjoy Geographic Indication (GI) tag. Yet, they find it difficult to achieve breakeven, thanks to the ever-increasing cost of inputs including hank yarn and dyes on the one hand and difficulty in marketing their products amid stiff competition from products brought out by the power loom sector.
Taking note of such issues during an interaction with the weavers, Telugu Desam Party (TDP) national general secretary N. Lokesh on the 133rd day of his Yuva Galam padayatra on June 21 (Wednesday) assured them that the TDP, if voted to power in the 2024 Assembly elections, would provide hand-holding support to weavers, who had enjoyed the patronage of Venkatagiri kings in the past, to stay afloat in the market.
‘’A pilot project being undertaken in collaboration with the Tata Trust in Mangalagiri will be replicated in other handloom clusters across the State,” said Mr. Lokesh amid loud cheers while resuming his walkathon from Dakkali in the undivided Nellore district.
Special package
With the initiative, many handloom weavers in other States were now able to eke out a decent living, catering to domestic and export markets, he said. The TDP would come up with a special package to revive the handloom sector and withstand the competition from the power loom players as a majority of the young weavers now left their traditional vocation and settled for menial jobs elsewhere, he explained.
The package would include 200 units of power free of cost, waiver of Goods and Services Tax (GST) on handloom products, setting up of a Textile Park in the designated handloom clusters and soft loan from financial institutions and pension for weavers and Janata Vastralu scheme.
Accusing the Jagan Mohan Reddy government of leaving in the lurch families of 60 handloom weavers who had ended their lives during the present regime, he said the TDP, on coming to power, would provide suitable compensation to the next of kin of the families.
Steps would be taken to strengthen the apex cooperative body APCO with infusion of additional funds, he said, adding that the ‘Adarana‘ scheme to supply looms with 50% subsidy would be revived.
The TDP is committed to creating 20 lakh jobs, he said and promised to release job calendar every year and filling up all vacancies in government departments from time to time, he said, adding that new industries would be attracted with a suitable policy and putting an end to flight of industries witnessed now under the YSRCP regime.
Mr. Lokesh, who also interacted with a group of pastors, promised a finance corporation for the benefit of the members of the Christian community. “The TDP, if voted to power, will end political interference in the appointment of pastors,” he said.
