HYDERABAD: Telangana’s beleaguered weavers are likely to get some relief as the state government is likely to pursue a three-pronged strategy to address their distress.
Two days after eliciting the views of officials and representatives from the weaving community, Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao said that the Padmashalis (weavers) working in the industry could be listed under three categories and steps could be taken to ensure that not a single worker commits suicide in the future.
The weaving community is spread across Sircilla, Pochampally, Gadwal and Narayanpet regions in the state. Handloom textiles produced by them, such as Ikat, are world famous and in demand globally. However, the community has been severely distressed by debt, unemployment and worse. Sunday’s announcement from the state government’s, coming as it does more than two years after the formation of Telangana, is likely to give them a much-needed boost.
According to Rao, the weaving community would be divided into three categories — those who work on handlooms, those who now work on the powerlooms and those who left their age-old profession and are looking for alternative jobs.
For the handloom weavers, the government has decided to offer financial assistance to those weaving general cloth. Subsidy will be given on yarn and chemicals and the government will purchase the cloth weaved by them.
The powerlooms, that are predominantly based in Siricilla, will be upgraded.
“Our powerlooms should be on par with the Rapier looms,” the Chief Minister said, adding that the management of the powerlooms too could get more profits with Rapier looms. For those, who have switched over to alternative employment, as they could not survive on the income gained from weaving, the government will help them.