The Andhra Pradesh State Handloom Weavers Cooperative Society Limited (APCO) has started purchasing unsold handloom products from the 50 weavers’ cooperative societies in East Godavari district.
By May-end, handloom products worth above ₹12 crore remained unsold in the district.
On Friday, the APCO issued an order to purchase 6,000 blankets from the two cooperative societies at Addampalli and Hasanbada in the Ramachandrapuram Assembly segment.
Chief Minister Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy directed APCO chairman Chillapalli Mohan Rao to come to the rescue of the cooperative societies by purchasing the handloom products that have been stored for months in the societies.
The Chief Minister has directed APCO to purchase the unsold products after he was briefed by Backward Classes Welfare Minister Ch. Venu Gopala Krishna on the pathetic condition of weavers and the repercussions on their lives as weaving came to a standstill in the district.
Last week, Mr. Venu Gopala Krishna inspected the cooperative societies in Ramachandrapuram Assembly constituency, where stocks worth ₹1.3 crore remained unsold, forcing the weavers to earn a livelihood from doing other works.
On Friday, Mr. Venu Gopala Krishna and Mr. Mohana Rao visited the cooperative societies at Addampalli and Hasanabad in Ramachandrapuram rural and promised to purchase nearly 13,000 blankets from the societies.
“The visit to the weavers is to offer an assurance of purchasing their handloom products. By mid-June, the entire stock worth ₹12 crore will be purchased by APCO in East Godavari district. The blanket is the major product being woven in the district,” Mr. Venu Gopala Krishna said.
Mr. Mohana Rao said that the purchase of the blankets has been delayed as welfare hostels remained closed due to COVID-19.
