ALL EARS: Weavers attending the seminar in Vijayawada on Saturday. — PHOTO: RAJU. V.

VIJAYAWADA: Allocations for handloom sector have been grossly insufficient and coming down gradually. Revised budgets of Governments show that 10 to 20 per cent of the budget allocated for the handloom sector is lapsing every year as the funds are not being utilised, according to a study conducted by the Centre for Handloom Information and Policy Advocacy (CHIP).

Addressing weavers at a workshop organised by the CHIP here on Friday, its spokesperson D. Narasimha Reddy said while the budget allocations for the handloom sector were diminishing, the allocations for textiles were increasing consistently.

The allocation for the handloom sector increased from Rs. 739 crores in 1997-98 to just Rs 3,046 crores in 2006-07, but the increase for textiles during this period was nearly four times higher, he said.

In dire straits

Mr. Reddy said even though weavers were committing suicide, the allocations for handloom sector continued to be marginal when compared to defence. While 16.5 per cent of the budget for 2007-08 was allocated to defence, it was only 0.04 per cent for handloom. This was grossly insufficient, considering that nearly 1.25 lakh people depended on handloom sector for their livelihood, he said.

Mr. Reddy explained that the allocations for handloom sector in the State budget were also abysmally low.

While 3.2 per cent of the budget was allocated for the Home Department, only 0.08 per cent was allocated for handloom sector.

Promises

Mr. Reddy said several promises that political leaders usually made before elections about handloom sector were always forgotten later. Chief Minister Y.S. Rajasekhara Reddy had promised that power would be given free for two bulbs for handloom workers, while Finance Minister K. Rosaiah said that the Janata Sari and Dhothi scheme would be implemented. "There is no talk of these schemes in the last three years they have been at the helm of affairs," he said.

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