Chandranna Kanuka to come with sari, dhoti

Handloom Welfare Board will be set up soon, says Minister

Hard grind: Handloom weavers exhibit their skill at the 3rd National Handloom Day celebrations in Vijayawada on Monday.

Minister for Handlooms and Textiles K. Atchannaidu on Monday said the State government was going to set up a handloom welfare board for the 2.5 lakh weavers’ families.

Speaking at the 3rd National Handloom Day celebrations here, Mr. Atchannaidu said the Chief Minister was mulling inclusion of sari and dhoti as part of the ‘Chandranna Kanuka’ distributed to the poor through fair price shops during festivals. “To strengthen the Andhra Pradesh State Handloom Weavers Cooperative Society (APCO), all the garments, textiles made by weavers as on December this year will be pooled at the State level. Later, they will be gifted along with the Chandranna Kanuka hampers. This will help APCO as well as the weavers,” he said. Further Mr. Atchannaidu said only 1.2 lakh families were working under various handloom clusters available and the remaining 1.3 lakh families would also be brought under them. “At present, there are 34 clusters sponsored by the Central government and we will ask the Centre to establish 70 more,” he added.

Fashion show

“The CM agreed to bring about 25,000 weavers under the pension scheme in addition to the existing 75,000 weavers so that 100% eligible persons (aged above 50) are given ₹1,000 pension every month,” he said. APCO chairman G. Srinu demanded that the Union government remove the burden of 5% GST on handlooms. Handloom and Textile department Secretary I. Srinivas Sri Naresh, Hindupur MP Kristappa Nimmala, Krishna district ZP chairperson G. Anuradha, MLC P. Sunita and others were present.

A fashion show displaying attractive garments made of a variety of handloom fabrics in the State stood as a special attraction of the celebrations. The fashion show by Shubam Designers featured famous handloom fabrics from all the districts including Kalamkari, Uppada, Jaandhari, Venkatagiri, Madhavaram, Dharmavaram and Mangalagiri.Early in the morning, scores of people, including students and weavers, led by Mr. Atchannaidu took part in a mega walk from the Sub-collector’s office on M.G. Road to the Tummalapalli Kalakshetram.

Students actively took part in the walk and raised slogans promoting the use of hand-made fabric.