ANANTAPUR: A 10-day exhibition-cum-sale of handlooms was inaugurated here on Friday by Project Director of DRDA/Indira Kranti Patham M. Hari Jawaharlal. People were urged to encourage the handloom sector by purchasing handloom products.

Speaking after the inauguration of the expo, Assistant Director of Handlooms and Textiles J. Babu Rao revealed that there were about 3 lakh families of handloom weavers in the district and the number of looms was about 1.5 lakhs. The number of skilled handloom weavers and the highest paid workers was also very high in the district.

The Government had issued identity cards to about 20,000 handloom workers in the district so far and about 7,500 of them were also covered under the health insurance scheme. The scheme would enable the insured families to avail medical treatment valuing up to Rs. 15,000 every year.

Life insurance

Another 16,000 were covered under a life insurance scheme. The insured members would get a compensation of Rs. 80,000 in case of accidental death, Rs. 30,000 in case of natural death and Rs. 25,000 in case they would become physically handicapped. Artisan credit cards were also issued to 1,400 handloom weavers in the district and an amount of Rs. 4.2 crores credit was extended to them on these cards last year.

In all, 58 weavers' cooperative societies spanning across the State set up stalls at the expo, Mr. Babu Rao stated. District Cooperative Officer I. Ramadevi, lead district Manager K. Laxminarayana and others also present at the inaugural.

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