India’s Andhra state announces sops for handloom weavers

Chief minister of India’s Andhra Pradesh state N Chandrababu Naidu recently announced sops for weavers, including ₹8,000 aid to their families for two months during the rainy season, enhanced input subsidy and market rebate, an Odisha Cooperative Tassar and Silk Federation Ltd (SERIFED) centre at Chirala and a weavers park in Amaravati with housing facilities.

He was speaking at Tallareddypalem in Vetapalem in Prakasam district on the occasion of National Handloom Day on August 7.

Despite the central government’s objection, the Andhra state government waived off ₹114 crore worth weavers’ loans and is now thinking of waiving off individual loans of weavers instead of the societies, media reports from the state quoted him as saying.

He promised 100 units of free power to weavers for the work sheds in the park that will put an additional burden of ₹29 crore on the state exchequer.

He also agreed to clear ₹49 crore dues to the Andhra Pradesh State Handloom Weavers Cooperative Society (APCO) from the state government at the earliest.