Tamil Nadu - Salem   

Minister promises Export Centre in Salem

SALEM: Agriculture Minister Veerapandi S. Arumugam has assured the handloom and powerloom weavers of an ‘Export Centre’ in Salem so that an opportunity for a win-win situation for both sellers and buyers could be established.

Participating at the 50th anniversary function of Salem District Handloom and Power loom Textiles Manufacturers Association here on Saturday, the Minister pointed out that the weavers had been playing a major part in the development of Salem and its neighbourhood.

He recalled how the DMK regime in 1970 had established 8 transformers at one time to enable the weavers in Ilampillai to survive the power fluctuations.

The weavers here, he said, were exporting fabrics to North and South Koreas and other nations.

They needed an integral centre for such exports so that they would not be cheated at the global arena. “If the weavers submit a project report for the same, I will talk to the Chief Minister and do the needful. This has been my dream too for long,” he said.

The Minister further stated that 100 unit power for handloom weavers and 55 for powerloom weavers were given free. The district had 1.95 lakh handloom and 90,000 powerloom weavers. Many had urged that above the 500 units, the TNEB should charge Re. 1 per unit for weavers. “Their request will be taken to the Chief Minister,” he said.

Best exporters were awarded during the function in which A. Raja (Veerapandi MLA), former Mayor Dr. G Soodamani, weavers’ representatives Harikrishna Dass, KPA Palaichamy and B. Hariharan spoke.

Earlier, at another function, the Minister declared open a bridge constructed at Rs. 86.94 lakh at Neikkarapatti near here and distributed welfare assistance worth Rs. 1.28 crore to 5,233 beneficiaries. Collector J. Chandrakumar presided over the function.

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