The Hindu : Andhra Pradesh News : Sops announced for weavers of Sircilla

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Thursday, Sep 09, 2004

Andhra Pradesh

Andhra Pradesh

Sops announced for weavers of Sircilla

By Our Staff Reporter

KARIMNAGAR, SEPT. 8. The State Government has announced several sops under a special package for the relief and rehabilitation of the distressed powerloom weavers of Sircilla town, who have been in dire straits following the invasion of jet and auto looms.

The Government has decided to impart special training to powerloom weavers to produce value-added fabric with new designs at a cost of Rs. 10, initially. It has also agreed in principle to release Rs. 25 lakhs for the conduct of a comprehensive survey of weavers and counselling programmes for vulnerable groups.

AAY to be extended

The State Government proposes to provide alternative employment to the wives of powerloom weavers by opening a garment-making unit in Sircilla town, and has announced the sanction of 1,000 old-age pensions and 500 widow pensions to weavers in the district. It was also decided to extend the Antoyadaya Anna Yojana (AAY) for two more months for Sircilla weavers.

Power subsidy

Speaking at a meeting on `Powerlooms and handloom weavers - Problems faced by them in the district' organised by the district administration here on Wednesday, the Industries Secretary, C. Krupanandam, said that a 50 per cent power subsidy on the consumption charges of all powerlooms, including those at the upcoming Textile park in Sircilla town, would be provided for a year. During the next two years, about 25 per cent power subsidy would be given, he said.

However, when representatives of powerloom owners and others from Sircilla extension of the 50 per cent power subsidy to other powerlooms in the district on par with Sircilla powerloom weavers, the Secretary said Sircilla town was an exceptional case and the old schemes would continue. However, he agreed to bring the demand to the notice of the Government.

Revolving fund

With regard to the collection of Additional Consumption Deposits (ACD) charges by electricity authorities, he said about Rs. 20 lakhs would be deposited with the district Collector as a revolving fund for payment to electricity authorities as ACD charges. Transco authorities would not collect ACD charges from weavers in the district, he said, and promised to provide a subsidy of Rs. 21 lakhs to one crore investments made by entrepreneurs at the Textile park.

1,000 PMRY schemes

The Commissioner for Handlooms and Textiles, G.N. Rao, announced 1,000 Prime Minister's Rozgar Yojana (PMRY) schemes exclusively for Sircilla weavers and called upon bankers to ground them at the earliest. He announced the issue of health cards and implementation of insurance cover for all weavers and promised to look into providing 10,000 AAY cards exclusively to the district for distribution among needy families. The Collector, C. Parthasarathi, suggested that the powerloom industry develop marketing facilities on par with the handloom industry. The APCO Managing Director, Sunitha, district officials, bankers, representatives of the powerloom and handloom industries, and others were present.

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Andhra Pradesh