HYDERABAD: The Government on Thursday announced a relief package to weavers' families affected by occupation-related distress and suicides by their breadwinners.

The package treats suicide by a weaver on a par with that of farmer and allows immediate release of Rs. 1.5 lakhs to the affected family in each case. While Rs. 1 lakh out of this will go to the family as ex gratia, the balance is for clearing loans taken from creditors up to a ceiling of Rs. 50,000, if any, as one-time benefit.

To ensure immediate succour to the affected family, the funds required for this will be released from the Chief Minister's Relief Fund for the time being, Handlooms & Textiles Minister G. Vinod has said.

Panel to ratify deaths

Releasing copies of the GO issued for the relief package at a press conference here, the Minister said it would cover all suicide deaths of weavers from May 14, 2004. However, each suicide would have to be duly confirmed by a committee consisting of the RDO concerned, Deputy Superintendent of Police and Assistant Director of Handlooms & Textiles.

Mr. Vinod confirmed 10 out of 43 suicide deaths reported in Prakasam district but inflated the figure to 55 in case of Karimnagar district. He termed the reports suggesting only 50 deaths in Karimnagar district as "incorrect."

Facing a barrage of questions seeking total State picture on weavers' suicide, the Minister said the Government would provide the full list in two-three weeks after a thorough verification. He disagreed with reports that the Government was concerned only about farmers.

He said more policy initiatives would be announced after the Government went through the recommendations made by the experts committee headed by Finance Minister K. Rosaiah.

The present package also provided for admission of weavers' children in Social Welfare hostels, allotment of houses under the IAY scheme, sanction of additional old-age pension and other economic support schemes. He said orders had been issued to set up helpline in Collectorates so that Assistant Directors of

Handlooms of the area concerned would be able to immediately organise counselling and relief package if any case of distress was reported.

Funds for APCO

B. Krupanandam, Secretary, Industries & Commerce, said a sum of Rs. 3 crores was being released towards equity of sick primary societies. Orders had been released enhancing wage payable to weaver for weaving one metre of cloth a day, and providing for distribution of 25 kg of rice free to a family a month.

An amount of Rs. 60 crores was released to APCO - Rs. 50 crores for meeting livery requirement of the Government, and the rest to strengthen its marketing activity.

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