Hyderabad: Listing out the harsh measures taken by BJP-led central government against handloom weavers, Telangana handlooms and textiles minister and Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS) working President KT Rama Rao (KTR) appealed to the weavers’ community to teach BJP a lesson in Munugode by-poll.
KTR said that Narendra Modi is the first Prime Minister in the history of India to burden the weavers with heavy tax, scrapped insurance and welfare schemes meant for them.
During a teleconference with handloom weavers of Munugode, KTR detailed several progressive steps taken by TRS government for the welfare of the weavers’ community.
He said that the TRS government has been allocating a budget of Rs 1200 crores per annum for the welfare of the handloom sector, provided a 40% subsidy on yarn and dyes through Chenetha Mithra, introduced Rs 5 lakh insurance coverage for handloom and power loom workers through Nethanna Ku Bhima, implementing Nethannaku Cheyutha scheme.
During COVID-19, Telangana government, through Nethannaku Cheyutha, has sanctioned an amount of Rs 100 crores to weavers much before the maturity date. The scheme is being continued keeping in view the benefit it has provided to the community.
KTR said that the TRS government has waived weavers loans ranging up to Rs 1 lakh. This has benefited about 10,500 people. He has also said that an integrated training, production and sales centre in Narayanpet, and handlooms park in Gadwal are being set up.
He said that BJP has dissolved the All India Handlooms Board, All India Handicrafts Board, and scrapped savings scheme, and insurance schemes for weavers. Also, the yarn subsidy to weavers was reduced from 40% to 15%.
KTR said that the GST on handlooms and textiles was increased from 5% to 12% by PM Narendra Modi. “Though Modi rode to power on the swadeshi sentiment, he is pushing the handlooms sector into crisis,” KTR added.
The minister has appealed to the weavers’ community to teach BJP a lesson in the Munugode by-elections. He has assured to work for the welfare of weavers in villages such as Koyalagudem, Puttapaka, Gattupal, Choutuppal, Chunduru, Munugode, Narayanapuram, Lingotam.
