The Hindu : Karnataka News : Maharashtra beckons weavers in distress

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Wednesday, Nov 07, 2007
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Karnataka

Karnataka

Maharashtra beckons weavers in distress

T.V. Sivanandan

Trained weavers are being welcomed with sops like low-interest loans

GREENER PASTURES: Mahalingappa Nimbal, a handloom weaver who shifted his base to Ichal Karanji in Maharashtra from Aland taluk, at his power loom.

GULBARGA: Mahalingappa Nimbal and Somaning Nandure hailing from traditional weavers families are a happy lot unlike their brethren who were struggling to eke out a decent living by pursuing their traditional profession in handloom units in Gulbarga district.

Both Mahalingappa Nimbal and Somaning Nandure, like hundreds of others who migrated to Ichalkaranji and other textile centres in Maharashtra originally hailed from Aland taluk in Gulbarga district, which was once a buzzing handloom weaving centre and now the profession has become a curse for weavers.

Ichalkaranji was an obscure village a decade ago but this had transformed into a major textile centre with over two lakh power looms functioning there. Most of these power looms are run by weavers migrated from Karnataka.

The weavers like Nimbal and Nandure said that Maharashtra welcomed trained weavers with open hand and offer them all help including loans at low interest rates to enable them to switch over from handloom to powerlooms and ensured 24-hour power supply.

A major reason for large-scale migration of weavers to the neighbouring Maharashtra was lack of support from the State Government and failure on the part of the Karnataka Handloom Development Corporation to supply “beams” consisting of cotton yarn to weavers.

Most of the handloom units were idling or not functioning to capacity in places like Aland, Shahapur, Surpur, Yadgir, Hirolli, Madanhipparga, Chinchansur, Suntnur, Aland town, Gurmitkal, Gogi, Laxamapur, Rukamapur, Saidapur, Bairamadagi and a few others because of the failure to meet the full demand for supply of beams.

At present, the beams to weavers were being supplied from Ranebennur in Haveri district and Bannahatti in Bagalkot district, which was approximately around 500 km from Gulbarga district. The weavers depend on KHDC for supply of beams and purchasing the woven cloth material. The KHDC pays Rs. 10 a metre for cotton cloth and Rs. 12 a metre for polyester woven by weavers.

Besides the failure on the part of KHDC to maintain the regular supply of beams to keep the handloom units buzzing throughout the year, the weavers complained about the delay in settling their bills for the cloth purchased from them.

According to Chandrasekhar Hiremath, Gulabrga District Handloom Weavers’ Association president, the outstanding dues from the Government to KHDC was around Rs. 15 crore and the KHDC was forced to borrow from financial institutions to meet the demand for purchase of cotton through by paying high interest rates.

Mr. Hiremath said the KHDC had paid Rs. 8 crore as interest on loans taken by it last financial year. The State Government had declared the KHDC as a non-profit making corporation and listed among other industries slated for ultimate closure.

The sustained struggle of weavers’ association for setting up seizing units which produced the beams in Gulbarga district was partially successful with the Government conceding the demand by sanctioning two polyester seizing units which would be set up at Aland and Gogi in Shahapur taluk.

Mr. Hiremath said the only way out for protecting the interests of weavers and save the traditional profession in the State was the Government should encourage and support a cooperative society exclusively for weavers in Gulbarga district, which would not only provide loans to weavers but purchase cloth from them.

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