Pre-Poll Bonanza: Telangana govt out to distribute Bathukamma sarees soon

Sensing announcement of election schedule any time, the BRS government has advanced the distribution of the Bathukamma sarees to women from Wednesday, way ahead of its actual schedule.

The government has made all arrangements for distribution of sarees, as almost 80 per cent of sarees have reached the distribution centres. The government is spending Rs 354 crore on 1.02 crore sarees with the help of weavers. The saree distribution generally starts during the Bathukamma/Navratri. However, this time the government is distributing during the ‘Pitrapaksham’.

The ruling party public representatives fear the programme may have to face code hurdles once the EC announces the poll schedule; hence the distribution has been advanced. The EC team is on a three-day visit in Telangana. It will take stock of the situation and may take a decision to announce the schedule any time in the second week of this month.

The government had distributed Rs 5.81 crore worth sarees since 2017 to women who are aged above 18 years across State. Officials said the Bathukamma sarees have become a symbol of self-respect. They have been prepared by the Sircilla, Pochampally, Gadwal weavers on the orders of TSCO and Telangana Handloom department. This year there are more than 250 designs and 625 varieties with zari, thread borders and different colour combinations and 100 per cent polyester filament sarees.

Officials said 90 per cent of the sarees were made by Sircilla weavers with the help of 139 MACS societies and 126 SSIs. Along with the six-meter saree, nine meter length sarees are especially prepared for elderly women in the north Telangana. They will be available for women at fair price shops across the State. The public representatives and officials will also take up distribution at select places.