Govt releases Rs 50 cr for clearing weavers’ dues

Hyderabad: In a significant boost for the weavers, the State government has allocated Rs 50 crore to settle the long-pending dues. Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy issued instructions on Friday to promptly release the funds and clear the outstanding payments at the earliest.

The previous BRS government had an outstanding debt of Rs 350 crore to the weavers, specifically related to the non-payment for Bathukamma sarees. This financial burden has significantly impacted the livelihoods of thousands of weavers, who were already grappling with the consequences of unpaid dues.

The weavers in Sircilla took to the streets, urging the government to intervene and settle their outstanding dues. Minister Ponnam Prabhakar and Vemulawada MLA, government whip Adi Srinivas, engaged in dialogues with the weavers, providing assurances that their concerns would be addressed. Recently, they also raised the matter with the Chief Minister, requesting prompt clearance of the pending payments.

In a quick response, CM Revanth Reddy ordered the officials to clear the dues immediately. He asked the officials to release the funds for the dues by taking into consideration the State’s financial condition. Revanth assured the weavers that the government would take appropriate measures and make arrangements to pay the dues from time to time.

In the last three months, the State government has already paid Rs 47 crore in advance for stitching the Sarva Siksha Abhiyan uniform and released Rs 14 crore for the purchase of yarn and sizing. The CM’s fresh decision to pay Rs 50 crore due to the weaver will be a big relief to the weaving industry.