Amaravati: TDP National General Secretary Nara Lokesh on Tuesday expressed shock and grief over the suicide of Pedana weaver Kachana Padmanabham along with his family members following a stifling debt trap.
Lokesh said suicides of weavers were rising in Andhra Pradesh due to a lack of support from the government. “All incentives, subsidies, and loans were stopped. No assistance was provided even during difficult times like the Covid-19 pandemic,” he added.
In a statement, Lokesh said the ruling YSRCP leaders were boasting of massive welfare programs. The ongoing suicides revealed the bitter truth that the welfare benefits were not reaching the deserving sections of poor people.
Nara Lokesh deplored that the handloom sector in AP collapsed completely on account of chaotic decisions taken by CM Jaganmohan Reddy. “The absence of timely support and lack of welfare had pushed weavers into irretrievable debts. The Padmanabham family in Pedana in Krishna district was the latest victim of callous policies,” he said.
Lokesh accused the YSRCP rule of bringing ‘illfare’ programmes in place of welfare and that it has stopped incentives and subsidies implemented by the TDP regime like giving Rs. 50,000 worth of benefits to each weaver every year. “Now its just Rs. 24,000 assistance was being given under Nethanna Nestham, which was also not being given to those who had no looms,” he remarked.
Nara Lokesh demanded an explanation from the ruling YSRCP leaders on why the APCO purchases, Mazoori, and concessions were stopped. “There is no assistance for setting up their own loom,” he said.
The TDP MLC demanded that the government should realize its mistakes and immediately restore incentives and subsidy loans. “The fruits of welfare should be properly handed over to the beneficiaries so as to prevent the suicides of weavers or any other section,” he added.
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