The Congress party’s misrule has led to a severe crisis in the handloom industry in Telangana. The suspension of work orders and the lack of incentives for handloom workers have plunged the textile industry into turmoil, pushing weavers to suicide.
The livelihoods of those who depend on powerlooms to support their families have been severely impacted, causing significant financial distress due to a lack of work. The halt of welfare schemes introduced by the BRS government has devastated the handloom sector.
The industry’s decline has led to 12 weavers committing suicide over seven months, as they were unable to cope with the financial burdens and debts. The handloom sector is experiencing its worst conditions in a decade.
The BRS government, from 2017 to 2023, successfully implemented the Bathukamma saree distribution scheme, even during the challenging COVID-19 period. This scheme provided millions of sarees to women annually, featuring around 240 types in various designs and colors. The government allocated Rs. 320 to Rs. 350 crores annually for this scheme, with up to 90 percent of production orders given to weavers in Sircilla, Warangal, and Karimnagar.
This initiative ensured consistent work for about 15,000 powerlooms, greatly benefiting poor women and handloom workers. However, the new Congress government has not continued these orders, leading to a sudden crisis in the handloom industry. The inability to secure work on powerlooms has driven many weavers to take their own lives.
Recently, representatives from the Padmashali Sangam and Hand Weaver Co-operative Society met with Weaver and Textile Minister Tummala Nageswar Rao, highlighting the severe problems faced by weavers and urging immediate intervention. They appealed for the resumption of Bathukamma saree orders to prevent further suicides among industry workers. However, the minister’s response lacked clarity, mentioning only long-term plans.
Under the BRS government, powerlooms were supplied electricity at Rs. 4 per unit under category 4, with a Rs. 2 subsidy. Now, electricity has been reclassified to category 3, raising the cost to Rs. 8.5 per unit for powerlooms above 10 HP. Consequently, many loom owners can only afford to operate a fraction of their machines, leading to significant unemployment.
The implementation of schemes like Nethanna Bima, Thrift, and Nethannaku Cheyutha has also been inadequate. The “Worker to Owner” shed initiative in Sircilla, which aimed to provide permanent employment to 1,100 workers, has stalled.
The previous KCR government introduced numerous welfare schemes for handloom workers, increasing budget allocations, modernizing looms, waiving loans, and enhancing market linkages. These measures revitalized the handloom industry and brought financial stability to the workers. Orders for Bathukamma sarees and school uniforms provided continuous work, significantly reducing suicides among weavers. Many weavers who had migrated for work returned to their hometowns due to these initiatives.
Key Schemes Introduced by the BRS Government:
– Cheneta Mitra Scheme: 40 percent subsidy on raw material purchases.
– Nethannaku Cheyutha Scheme: 16 percent government contribution to the 8 percent worker salary savings.
– Loan Waiver Scheme: Rs. 28.96 crore waived between April 2010 and March 2017, benefiting 10,148 handloom workers.
– Rs. 5 lakh financial assistance to the family of deceased weavers.
– Konda Lakshman Bapuji Awards in recognition of weavers’ skills.
– 25 paise interest scheme and marketing incentives.
– Construction of 49 common work sheds for handloom societies.
– Instructing government employees to wear handloom clothes every Monday.
– Bathukamma sarees and school uniform orders to weavers.
The failure of the current Congress government to continue these schemes has left the textile industry in a state of crisis.