The Hindu : Karnataka News : Package for weavers on the anvil

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Wednesday, Jun 09, 2004

Karnataka

Karnataka

Package for weavers on the anvil

By Our Staff Reporter

BANGALORE, JUNE 8. Karnataka Handloom Development Corporation Ltd. will provide a package, including training, technical guidance, supply of raw material and marketing, to weavers, according to the Chairman of the corporation, L.R. Ananth.

He told presspersons here on Tuesday that the Government proposed to restructure and strengthen the corporation by converting government loans and interest on them into equity and providing margin money towards working capital. The corporation helped those in the handloom industry outside the cooperative sector.

In addition, the Government had taken steps to widen the retail market base, diversify production by introducing ready-to-wear shirts and printed cotton saris, introduce pricing policies and discount schemes, Mr. Ananth said. The Government had approved these steps after taking into account the profitable turnover of Rs. 75 crore during 2003-04 against that of Rs. 49 crore during the previous year. "The handloom sector is suffering from many limitations, including competition from the powerloom and mill sectors, a shrinking market and increasing costs of raw material. We are trying to provide Rs. 12 crore to weavers to encourage the handloom industry," he said.

The corporation had requested the Government to release orders to it for the Vidya Vikas Scheme of providing school uniforms and the subsidised sari-dhothi scheme. In the absence of a representative from the sector in the Government, the problems faced by weavers went unheard. An appeal had been made for representation to the sector in the Government, he said.

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