Powerloom weavers of this textile town who were always in the news for high suicide rates due to unemployment will now have their hands full of work thanks to the State government’s order for one crore Bathukamma sarees.
The powerlooms here have already been given orders for school uniforms under the Rajiv Vidya Mission as well as bedsheets and blankets for hospitals.
They are now being asked to produce ₹200 crore worth sarees to be distributed by the State government to women below the poverty line during the Bathukamma festival.
Handlooms Development Commissioner Shailaja Ramayyar met with the members of the Mutually Aided Co-operative Societies (MACS), owners of small-scale powerloom industries and other officials on Friday to inform them about the government’s decision to place the order for one crore Bathukamma sarees. Collector D Krishna Bhaskar and others were also present.
The one crore Bathukamma sarees would be produced on 20,000 powerlooms including MACS, small scale industries and Textile park.
She directed the MACSs, SSI and individual powerloom weavers owning looms and the Textile park to produce the sarees within three months and supply them August 15.
She also warned of serious action if anyone resorts to irregularities in the production of Bathuamma sarees and informed the weavers to maintain quality.
Weavers happy
The weavers were grateful to IT and Textiles Minister K.T. Rama Rao, who represents the Sircilla Assembly Segment, for the bulk order.
“It is indeed a rare and great opportunity for the powerloom weavers of Sircilla to get such a huge order from the government. We are educating the weavers to utilise the opportunity and also providing them necessary technical assistance and guidance to produce the Bathukamma sarees before the deadline,” Collector D. Krishna Bhaskar said.
Two varieties
The order is for two varieties of polyester sarees, one with a border for elderly women and another printed variety for young women. Each saree will measure 6.3 meters, including the blouse piece.
A total of 20,000 powerlooms will be working round-the-clock to produce the sarees within three months. Each weaver will be paid a wage of ₹5 per meter of cloth produced.
