Hyderabad: Handloom sector in tatters

• Pochampally and Gadwal saree stocks worth Rs 150 crore have no takers

• Marriages/celebrations being put off, there has been nil or subdued activity for close to two months

• Handloom sector sorely misses out on liberal dose of sops announced for MSME category

Hyderabad: The weavers' looms have fallen silent and thousands of weavers have been left without work, as sales and orders came to a standstill since the lockdown. The usual hum in the 30-odd villages near Pochampally is missing. It is learnt that weavers have been saddled with stocks of Pochampalli, Gadwal and other varieties of sarees worth Rs 100 crore as there are no buyers.

As the sector does not fall in the Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSME), the handloom weavers are unable to take advantage of the stimulus package the Union government announced. Vidam Srinivas, a weaver from Vellanki village near Pochampally says, "With marriages being put off and business coming to a standstill, we request the State government to come to our rescue."

Rudra Srisailam, weaver from Pochampally says, "In one production cycle, with a length of 50 metres we complete seven Pochampally sarees. We ran out of stock in the first two weeks of the lockdown. We have no work since then."

The same is the plight of handloom weavers in Karimnagar, Old Nalgonda, Warangal, Medak and Sangareddy. Yadagiri Tadaka, member, Steering Committee, National Federation of Handlooms and Handicrafts (NFHH) says, "10 days ago, production of Bathukamma sarees started in Sircilla power looms. We demand that the Telangana government come to the rescue of even handloom weavers across the state and not just those confined to Sircilla."

For handlooms to restart, each weaver would need a capital of Rs 20,000. With no capital and the cycle disturbed, demand for a package to compensate wage loss and procure raw material is growing.

Handloom sector provides livelihoods to more than 45 lakh across India and in Telangana, there are 20,000 looms with 35,000 weavers including labour skilled in processing, dyeing, designing, sizing. A considerable size of women are involved.

In 2002, when the handloom sector was in a crisis, the then AP government bought out stock worth Rs 14 crore with APCO picking up the stocks. Yadagiri says, "The State government should reach out to the handloom weavers. Across Telangana State, stocks valued at around Rs 150 crore are lying idle and weavers do not have the money to restart the business, if and when the lockdown is lifted."

Demands

♦ Moratorium of 3 years from paying GST on handloom products and handicrafts, and allot Rs 3,000 crore to implement ESI Linked Thrift Fund Cum Savings Scheme in phased manner to protect Handloom Weavers.

♦ Central Government should allocate Funds Rs 500 crores immediately under National Disaster Management Programme to procure Cotton Hank Yarn, Silk, Zari, Wool, Jute Yarn.

♦ Loans to Handloom Weavers under Mudra scheme upto Rs 50,000 to Rs 1,00,000 with 3%Concessional Rate of Interest.

♦ Government should allocate Rs 1,500 crores and take immediate steps for waiver of the loans of cooperative societies and individual weavers.

♦ Government should provide Rs.2,000 Crores to Procure accumulative stock of finished fabric from Co-op Societies,

♦ Master Weavers and Weavers and NGOs

Where they are

Handlooms are spread in Karimnagar, Old Nalgonda, Warangal, Medak, Sangareddy, Yadagirigutta, Bhongir, Kodakanda, Warangal and Sircilla.

"The State government should come to the rescue of handloom weavers with a stimulus package as was done in 2002 by the then AP government and pick up stocks. Weavers would need a minimum of Rs 20,000 to restart business."

- Yadagiri Tadaka, steering panel member, NFHH