HYDERABAD: Highlighting the “harsh” measures initiated by BJP-led Central government against handloom weavers, Telangana Handlooms and Textiles Minister and TRS working president KT Rama Rao on Monday urged the weavers’ community to teach BJP a befitting lesson in Munugode bypoll.
The Minister said that Narendra Modi is the first Prime Minister in the history of India to burden the weavers with heavy tax and he also scrapped insurance and welfare schemes meant for them. He said that the TRS government has been allocating a budget of Rs 1200 crore per annum for the welfare of the handloom sector, provided a 40 per cent subsidy on yarn and dyes through Chenetha Mithra, introduced `5 lakh insurance coverage for handloom and powerloom workers through Nethanna ku Bhima under Nethannaku Cheyutha scheme.
“Telangana government, through Nethannaku Cheyutha has sanctioned an amount of Rs 100 crore to weavers much before the maturity date. The scheme is being continued keeping in view the benefit it has provided to the community. The TRS government has waived weavers loans in the range of Rs 1 lakh. This has benefited about 10,500 weavers,” the Minister said.
“The BJP has dissolved the All India Handlooms Board, All India Handicrafts Board, and scrapped savings scheme and insurance schemes of weavers. Also, the yarn subsidy to weavers was reduced from 40 per cent to 15 per cent. GST on handlooms and textiles was increased from 5 per cent to 12 per cent,” he said.
“Though the Telangana government has sought assistance from the Central govt in implementing welfare measures for weavers, there was absolutely no help from the Centre. Moreover, the Central government did not lend support to set up the Institute of Handloom Technology, and block-level handloom clusters,” he added. While urging the weavers’ community to teach BJP a lesson in Munugode byelection, he assured to work for the welfare of weavers.