Backward Classes Welfare Minister Ch. Venu Gopala Krishna on Saturday promised measures to ensure purchase of handloom products that remained unsold owing to COVID-19 impact on the trade and marketing activities.
In East Godavari district alone, where more than 15,000 families are engaged in handloom weaving, products worth ₹12 crore are lying in the godowns of 50 weavers’ cooperative societies. They included saris, blankets and towels.
At Addampalli village in the Ramachandrapuram Assembly segment, weavers told the Minister that blankets worth ₹1.36 crore supposed to be purchased by the AP State Handloom Weavers Co-operative Society Limited (APCO) had piled up with them.
The Minister tried to know how the handloom activity came to a grinding halt due to a delay in the marketing of the products and the impact of COVID-19 from the weavers of Sri Malleswara Handloom Weavers’ Co-operative Society Limited, which has 334 members operating 130 handlooms. He observed that women were the major contributors in handloom weaving at various stages.
“The State government’s annual package of ₹24,000 has come to the rescue of the weavers affected by lack of sales due to COVID-19. Many of them are now eking out a livelihood through the national rural employment guarantee scheme. Their plight will be brought to the notice of Chief Minister Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy,” said Mr. Venu Gopala Krishna.
“The reasons for the delay in procurement of handloom products by APCO will be looked into. The BC Welfare Department will also persuade APCO to purchase blankets and towels for use in the department’s welfare hostels,” he said.
