Commemorating the national handloom day on Sunday, the IT & Industries minister Mr K T Rama Rao who also holds the textiles portfolio launched another flagship welfare programme christened `Nethanna ku Bheema’ – a life insurance scheme for the weavers.
It will benefit over 80,000 weavers in the state. The state government will pay the premium and in case of natural or accidental death, his family would get Rs 5 lakh within 10 days.
Speaking on the occasion, Mr Rama Rao said the life insurance coverage for weavers gives them confidence. It was the first time in the country a state government launched a welfare scheme for weavers.
The minister reminded that during the freedom movement, Mahatma Gandhi used Charaka to weave clothes inspiring lakhs of people and involving them in the Swadeshi movement. His call gave a new fillip to the freedom movement.
However, sadly now the present dispensation at the Centre led by BJP has imposed GST on handloom weavers sounding a death knell.
Mr Rama Rao with folded hands urged the Central government to exempt or reduce the GST on handlooms and also on other essential commodities and ease the burden on the common man.
He lauded the expertise of handloom weavers in the country and in Telangana who are known for their innovative designs and hard work. He listed out the efforts being made by the Telangana government in promoting handlooms.
He accepted the challenge “Handloom my pride” posed by minister Mr Srinivas Goud. He also threw the same challenge to industrialist Anand Mahindra, cricketer Sachin Tendulkar and Jana Sena leader Pavan Kalyan. Immediately Pavan Kalyan responded in his Tweet saying; “I am accepting the challenge posed by brother KTR and posted his photographs”.
Mr Rama Rao said he was already sporting handloom dresses once a week.
By Gollapudi Srinivasa Rao