Looms of weavers doubled in erstwhile Nalgonda district

Nalgonda: In the last three years, a good number of looms of weavers increased to 8,000 from 4,000 in erstwhile Nalgonda district. It’s a sign of positive results to the initiatives taken up by the State government for revival of handloom sectors.

As per the recent survey conducted by the Textile department, it was found that the number of looms increased to 8,000 in Nalgonda, Suryapet and Yadadri-Bhongir districts. In view of the promotional programmes, subsidies and encouragement to the weavers, the people of Padmashali community, who left weaving when it did not yield profits, have re-fixed their looms, and are operating them again. The weavers in the district are now engaged in the weaving of Rajkot, Padmanjali and Uppada saris, for which demand in the market is created with promotional programmes.

In Nalgonda alone, the number of looms has increased to more than 2,000 from earlier figure of 13,000. All the looms in the district are given barcode by the authorities concerned. The weavers are also upbeat over the announcement of Minister for IT and Textiles, K Taraka Rama Rao (KTR) that 50 per cent of the subsidy would be provided on yarn, chemicals and colours soon. There’s no doubt that it would double the income of the weavers and it will bring a remarkable change in their lives.

The price of yarn was Rs 2,500 per kg one-and-a-half year ago and it has reached Rs 4,000. The price of the dying colors was also increased to Rs 1,100 to Rs 1,800 per kg now as it was Rs 500 per kg two years ago. If the scheme of 50 per cent subsidy scheme comes, the weavers can get the raw material cheap rates.

Speaking to Tabloid Today, Padmashali Youth Association district president Duduku Lakshminarayana expressed happiness over the announcement of KTR to take up a series of programmes for the welfare of weavers and revival of handloom sector. “The weavers face hardships due to the attitude of the successive Government towards handloom sector,” he says. Duduku assures that the weavers would utilise the Government schemes and take active part in revival of their caste-based professions.

Chilukuri Srinivas, a weaver and a native of Chandur in Nalgonda district, says that ‘Nethannaku Cheyutha’ is definitely a gift to the weavers by the State government. He pointed out that thrift scheme was not properly implemented by the earlier Government at the cost of weavers. He also praised the decision of the State government to cover weavers and labour of its auxiliary workers under the new scheme. “It would benefit more than 20,000 people in the district,” he says.

A beneficiary of ‘Nethannaku Cheyutha’ Scheme and a weaver at Chennuri Nagaiah, who was also native of Alair in Yadadri-Bhongir district, says that he was engaged in weaving of pattu saris. “The initiatives of the State government have instilled confidence in him and made him to withdraw the plan of choosing other work,” he says.

Source: https://telanganatoday.com/looms-weavers-doubled-erstwhile-nalgonda-district