ERODE: Yarn will be provided to weavers from August to begin the production of free dhotis and sarees to be distributed during Pongal next year, Handlooms and Textiles Minister R Gandhi told reporters in Erode on Monday.
He was talking to them before inaugurating an awareness campaign, organised by the department to popularise khadar and handloom among college students, along with Minister for Urban Development S Muthusamy at Government Engineering College.
Gandhi said, “We are planning to distribute free dhotis and sarees among PDS card holders from January 2. Distribution in 2024 will not be delayed like the previous year. So, yarn will be provided to the weavers in early August. A total of 1.68 lakh sarees and 1.63 lakh dhotis will be produced this year.
The government has taken various measures to improve the industry. The DMK government announced a 10 % wage hike as soon as assuming office in 2021 to encourage youth in the weaving industry. We are also discussing a pay rise. Tamil Nadu is the leading state in the production of handlooms.”
Gandhi later inaugurated a new stenter machine procured at the cost of Rs 1.53 crore at the Tamil Nadu Cooperative Textile Processing Mill in Erode.