With piles of finished goods lying in godowns, handloom weavers in Telangana a worried lot

Due to lack of proper marketing support from the State government, the handloom sector suffers with a large quantity of clothes piling up with societies.
A weaver at work. (File photo | EPS)
A weaver at work. (File photo | EPS)

KARIMNAGAR: Even as the government is celebrating National Handloom Day on Monday, weavers and Handloom Cooperative Societies are a worried lot as bundles of finished goods lie in godowns waiting for order.

Due to lack of proper marketing support from the State government, the handloom sector is suffering and large quantities of clothes have been piled up with societies.

In the erstwhile Karimnagar district, about 36 Handloom Cooperative Societies were there and only 20 societies remain functional now. The remaining have fallen sick due to lack of support from the government.

According to Kothapalli Hanloom weavers Cooperative Society president Kamatam Rajesham, about Rs 60 lakh worth of clothes were lying in their society godown as they have not found a market.

In the undivided state, orders used to come from Seemandhra region, but after Telangana state was formed, order from that region stopped putting the societies in difficulty.

"Though dress materials are available with societies, the government is ordering new dresses without lifting the old stock. By doing so, the government is wilfully creating problem for societies," a weaver society head said.

In the 36 societies, nearly 6,000 weavers and owners of Handloom depend on weaving, with lack of demand leaving some weavers unemployed.  

According to sources, at least Rs 30-40 lakh worth clothes have been piled up at each active society godown, but the government is not taking steps for finding a market for them.

GST imposed on clothes becomes a major concern for weavers

The 5 per cent Goods Services Tax (GST) imposed on clothes has become a major matter of concern for weavers as it would further affect their business. As most of the societies weave towels, lungies, door curtains and dress material, and since their sales have come down, it has become difficult for weavers to survive, says a weaver Kailasam from Rajanna-Sircilla.

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