ANANTAPUR: State general secretary of Andhra Pradesh Cheneta Karmika Sangham, affiliated to CPI, E. Ashok said on Wednesday that apparel and textile parks were not useful to handloom weavers. Instead, they were causing suffering to them.

Talking to newspersons here, he said the claims of Chief Minister Y.S. Rajasekhara Reddy that apparel and textile parks would help development handloom sector had proved to be wrong. It was said that the apparel parks would provide employment to weavers and prevent suicides and hunger deaths.

But non-implementation of Minimum Wages Act in the handloom sector was keeping the weavers in poverty, debt and ill-health, he explained. He reminded that as spokesperson of PCC before 2004 Assembly elections, K. Rosaiah had promised that they would re-introduce `Janata Vastra Pathakam' if voted to power. But it turned out to be a mirage.

Similarly, Dr. Rajasekhara Reddy, as Leader of Opposition, had promised revival of handloom sector. But he has not kept his promiseso far. He sought an allocation of Rs. 300 crores for revival of the sector as it was the second largest employment provider in the State after agriculture.

Aged weavers

After the struggles by Cheneta Karmika Sangham, the State Government had agreed to implement a special pension scheme for weavers aged above 50. In fact, pension was given up to February 2006 and discontinued later, he pointed out. He urged the Government to revive the pension scheme as it was very useful to the aged weavers.

Problems

To highlight the problems faced by the weavers, including issues like cooperative sector, marketing, act of reservation, strengthening of APCO and State and Central policies on handlooms sector the 11th State congress of the Cheneta Karmika Sangham would be held here from January 18 to 20, he said.

District president and secretary of APCKS N. Laxmaiah and P. Govindu, respectively, were also present.

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