Industries and IT Minister K.T. Rama Rao has requested the Central government to expeditiously sanction a mega powerloom cluster in Sircilla under the Comprehensive Powerloom Cluster Development Scheme (CPCDS).
Sircilla has been a major hub of handloom and textiles activity for several decades. “The town has necessary ecosystem and trained manpower required to set up a mega powerloom cluster,” he said in a letter addressed to Union Minister Piyush Goyal.
The letter is the eighth in the series of letters written by Mr. Rama Rao requesting the sanction for the powerloom cluster. The government failed to initiate any action in spite of repeated reminders and personal meetings.
The State government had initiated several measures to ensure that the weaver community of this town finds gainful employment. Some of these initiatives included 40% input subsidy linked wage compensation scheme, thrift fund for handloom and powerloom weavers and providing work to them on a continuous basis. These steps resulted in revival of the industry along with major increase in wages.
Recalling that the Centre had appreciated the measures initiated by the Telangana government, he, however, expressed disappointment over the State not receiving any significant support related to handloom and textiles sector from the Union government. “I would like to reiterate that the development of Telangana translates into the development of the country,” he said.
The Minister said that the country was unable to compete even with smaller countries due to lack of support to progressive States like Telangana. “Over the past few years, we have been observing that the Union government is announcing schemes and assistance to States which lack the necessary ecosystem or resources. All this at the expense of fast developing States like Telangana,” he lamented.
He highlighted the achievements of the State in attracting marquee investments into the textile sector and said Telangana could achieve these investments by competing not only with other States, but with other countries. The State has earmarked an extra budget for the handloom and powerloom sector and took up world class projects like Kakatiya Mega Textile Park.
The youth of Telangana was eagerly waiting for employment opportunities that would be created by projects like the mega powerloom cluster, he said, appealing that the Centre should sanction the cluster in Sircilla without further delay.
