Corporation demanded for handloom weavers

Nellore: Demanding to resolve their issues, ‘Chenetha Ikya Vedika’ staged a protest at Gandhi Statue in the city here on Tuesday. They raised slogans against the State government for neglecting them.

Speaking to the media, Ikya Vedika district convener B Balaji said that around 4 lakh handloom workers in 224 villages across the district were facing troubles and demanded the State government to form Chenetha Corporation with a budget of Rs 1,000 crore for the benefit of thousands of workers.

“Still, the government had not prepared any plans to save the handloom weavers across the state from the distress. Handloom sector has drastically fallen due to the increasing industrialisation in the sector. Many handloom weavers have committed suicides, who failed to clear their debts,” said Balaji.

Government has to set up Netha bazaars in every district headquarter in the state, he appealed. He also asked the government to provide raw materials, colours, silk and zari items on subsidy to the weavers. He said that government has to provide Rs 2 lakh loan to every weaver not demanding any surety besides weaver cards and pensions to the aged workers.

‘Government has to relax the GO extending the age limit up to 75 for Mahatma Gandhi Bunkar Bima Yojana. There is a need to distribute Rs 2 lakh compensation for the deceased families,’ said Chenetha Ikya Vedika convener. Agriculture Minister Somireddy, who extended his support to the weavers, has assured that they would resolve the issues after discussing with the Chief Minister.

He said the State government would soon set up Chenetha Corporation. BJP state general secretary S Suresh Reddy extended his support to the Ikya Vedika. Ikya Vedika leaders R Rajasekhar, A Suresh, K Brahmaiah, J Venugopal and others were present.