In a major relief to the weaver community, the Telangana government is all set to launch the Nethanna Bima scheme to provide financial support to the bereaved families of handloom and powerloom weavers.
“The Telangana government is implementing various welfare schemes to uplift the weavers’ community in the State,” said IT and Industries Minister K. T. Rama Rao.
On the lines of the Rythu Bima scheme, the government will launch the Nethanna Bima scheme on National Handloom Day on August 7. Under this scheme, the family of the deceased weaver will receive an amount of ₹5 lakh. This amount will be credited into the bank account of the family member within 10 days after the death of the weaver.
The Department of Handlooms and Textiles will be the nodal agency for implementation of this scheme. The State government has entered into an agreement with the Life Insurance Corporation (LIC) for this scheme, under which the government will pay the premium amount to LIC and weavers need not pay anything from their end.
The government has allocated ₹50 crore for this scheme, out of which ₹25 crore has already been released. Weavers below the age of 60 years are eligible for this scheme, and about 80,000 handloom and powerloom weavers are beneficiaries.
Mr. Rama Rao said that the State and district-level committees will be formed soon for implementation of the Nethanna Bima scheme. Every year, the Telangana government allocates a special budget (from BC Welfare) of ₹1,200 crore since 2016-17 to strengthen the handloom and powerloom sectors. This is in addition to the regular budget allocated to the Department of Handlooms and Textiles.
The government has allocated ₹55.12 crore as regular budget to the Department of Handlooms and Textiles for the FY 2022-23. Another ₹400 crore was allocated for welfare of the weaker sections.
Mr. Rama Rao also stated that under the directions of Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao, the Telangana government is implementing schemes such as Input Subsidy Linked Wage Compensation Scheme, and Thrift Fund to Handloom/Powerloom Weavers, among others, for the welfare of weavers.
