Azadi ka Amritotsav – has come in handy for the weavers across the Telangana state, particularly those in Sircilla district.
They got huge orders to make national flags for the fortnight-long Independence day celebrations this year.
The State government has given orders worth rupees five crore to make 1.2 crore national flags. They also received orders from 12 states in the country thus earning recognition for their work in the country. Each state gave orders worth rupees one crore.
The project is providing employment to 2,000 persons on 5,000 power looms.
D Murali, a weaver said they got orders from 12 states. He is engaging 600 workers and 20 screen printers.
D Pandari, another weaver said he got Rs 50 lakh worth of orders and they were making 20 to 30-inch width and meter-long national flags.
Kota Anitha of Sircilla said since the Beedi making is closed, they are able to eke out a living with the orders for national flag making. She said as many as 600 women are engaged in cutting and stitching work of national flags. She thanked IT minister Mr KTR for his kind gesture.
The weavers of Pochampalli in Nalgonda, Warangal, Gadwal and Narayanpet also got the orders.
Since weavers are more in number in Sircilla, Mr KTR has asked the officials to give more orders so that every weaver is engaged. Now each weaver is earning about Rs 20,000 from the work orders.
It may be noted that the minister Mr KTR took a personal interest in the uplift of weavers who were in dire straits in the past. Sircilla was known for the suicides of weavers.
But it is a thing of the past.
Mr KTR ensured that the weavers got orders for Batukamma sarees, clothes being distributed free by the state government o Christmas and Ramzan festivals thus sustaining them.
By Gollapudi Srinivasa Rao