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Centre sounds death knell for weavers, charges KTR
- KTR trains guns at BJP-led Central government over GST imposed on handloom sector
- Alleges that Prime Minister Narendra Modi sounding death knell for the handloom workers
Hyderabad: The TRS working president and IT Minister KT Rama Rao on Wednesday said that while the State government under Chief Minister K Chandrashekar Rao was trying to make the weavers as owners, the Central government led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi was sounding death knell for the workers of the sector which generates more employment after Agriculture.
The TRS leader made these comments during the joining of BJP leader R Anand Bhaskar into the party at Telangana Bhavan on Wednesday. Rama Rao said that after agriculture, the handloom and textile is the sector which provides employment to lakhs of people. He alleged that the Centre under Narendra Modi had no policy for this important sector.
"For name sake, they say 'Farm to Fabric' but there is no awareness on how to support the weavers. The country is lagging behind when compared to smaller countries like Bangladesh and Sri Lanka when it comes to production. As a person who knows the problems of weavers, tried to solve the problem by taking this to the Centre seeking a small push to the sector where 'white gold' is produced. The handloom workers have efficiency, but if there is no government support, there is nothing which can be done," said Rama Rao.
The Textiles Minister said that Tirupur in Tamil Nadu produces Rs 40,000 crore worth products every year but the same was not possible here. To do a similar thing here, CM KCR not only requested the Centre for Kakatiya Textile Park in Warangal, handloom clusters in Gadwal, Narayanpet and Sircilla Apparel Park and also brought schemes like 'Netanna ku Cheyuta', Thrift scheme- to encourage handlooms, 'Chenetha Mitra' etc, said Rao.
The Minister said that he had met the Union Textiles Ministers eight times and the Finance Minister on several occasions requesting support to the handloom sector but there was no response from the Centre. "When we asked them to support the State, they said they don't have big schemes but when we urged them to bring big schemes there was no response. They have closed eight schemes and imposed GST on handloom," said Rao.
Anand Bhaskar said that the CM KCR had made agriculture profitable in the State. He alleged that the BJP was violent against him and added the BRS was going to be an alternative force to the BJP in the country.
