VIJAYAWADA: Chief Minister Nara Chandrababu Naidu announced the reimbursement of GST paid by handloom weavers to encourage the weaving community.
Attending as the chief guest at the National Handloom Day celebrations on Wednesday at Maris Stella Indoor Stadium in Vijayawada, the Chief Minister promised to discuss the removal of tax on handloom products at the GST Council. If the Union government denies the proposal, the State government would reimburse the tax paid by the weavers, he announced.
Addressing the gathering, Naidu shared that he had purchased Uppada and Dharmavaram handloom sarees for his wife, Bhuvaneswari, for the first time and recalled his love for Pondur Khadi shirts when he became an MLA for the first time. Emphasising the responsibility of citizens to support weavers, he urged everyone to purchase and wear handloom products at least once a month.
On the occasion, Naidu announced an allocation of Rs 10 crore for the health insurance of the weavers and provisions to train them in the latest weaving technologies to enhance their income and meet international standards. He said efforts would be made to introduce Open Network Digital Commerce (ONDC) to provide an international market for handloom products.
The State government will also provide solar facilities for up to 200 units to all weavers and power looms under the PM Surya Ghar initiative, along with an additional Rs 50,000, making it Rs 1,50,000 under PM Awas Yojana to construct looms on their premises, he announced. He instructed officials to study the feasibility of setting up a group workspace.
Slamming the previous YSRC regime for removing 24 schemes related to weavers and for distributing only Rs 24,000 to those with their own looms, Chandrababu Naidu accused the previous administration of diverting loans meant for the weaver community. Despite the challenges, the NDA government would develop the State by creating wealth, he assured.
Noting that the State government is paying pensions worth Rs 2,737 crore to 65 lakh beneficiaries per month, out of which 92,724 are handloom weavers, Naidu emphasised a comprehensive approach to developing 64 handloom clusters across the State.
On the occasion, the Chief Minister announced that elections would be held soon for the governing bodies of handloom cooperative societies in the State and advised handloom workers to choose members committed to the sector’s development. He mentioned that there are 100 APCO showrooms across the State and announced that pending dues by the previous government would be cleared soon.
He pledged to introduce a special act for the development of BCs, emphasising the high poverty levels within this group and promised priority for nominated posts. Naidu assured that the NDA government would fulfil its promises made to the unemployed as they had fulfilled the enhanced pension promise.
Naidu also mentioned the abolition of the Land Titling Act to protect landowners and the inauguration of 100 Anna Canteens on August 15, calling on capable individuals to support Anna Canteens like the Annadanam programme at TTD, introduced by NTR.
Naidu expressed his delight at the brimming reservoirs in the State and suggested booking free sand at local secretariats. He encouraged weavers to use natural colours, noting the increasing consumer interest in natural colour products for health reasons. He urged well-settled weavers to support underprivileged weavers to improve their income and living standards.
‘YSRC govt diverted funds meant for weavers’
Slamming the previous YSRC regime for removing 24 schemes related to weavers and for distributing only Rs 24,000 to those with their own looms, Naidu accused the previous regime of diverting loans meant for the weaver community. He said that the State treasury had been bankrupted by the YSRC regime, accumulating a debt of about Rs 10 lakh crore, resulting in payment of Rs 80,000 crore for interest and principal on loans per year. Despite these challenges, the NDA government would develop the State by creating wealth, he said