CHENNAI: If anybody wants to buy Thirubuvanam silk sarees and are unable to go there in person, no worries. Textiles Minister R Gandhi has announced a new scheme called ‘Illam Thedi Pattu’ (Silk at your doorstep).
In his reply to the discussion on the demand for grants on Friday, Gandhi said “For weddings and other festivities, a vehicle belonging to the Thirubuvanam Silk Handloom Weavers Co-operative will take the silk sarees to the customers’ houses to exhibit the collections and enable sale. The scheme will increase sales by additional Rs 10 crore a year.” Currently, the co-operative records yearly sales of Rs 50 crore, he said.
Gandhi also announced a 10% annual hike in basic wages and 10% hike in DA for 1.5 lakh weavers, who are attached to the 1,115 primary handloom weavers’ cooperative societies in the state.
He added that another new scheme ‘Franchise Model Showrooms’ under Co-optex will be implemented in India and in foreign countries. This will ensure continuous jobs to handloom weavers.
The department will conduct an International Textile Expo by involving stakeholders in the textile-rich areas every year at a cost of Rs 1.5 crore on a rotational basis.
In his reply to the discussion on the demands for grants, MSME minister T M Anbarasan said TN currently has 24,115 sericulture farmers cultivating mulberry in 48, 045 acres, and an aid of Rs 29.47 crore will be given to set up silkworm rearing sheds benefitting 3,050 sericulture farmers.
Anbarasan also announced that ‘Handicrafts Marketing Mission’ will be implemented at a cost of Rs 2 crore. For exhibiting Tamil Nadu handicraft products in important cities, 10 sales expos will be conducted at a cost of Rs 1.3 crore.