A.P. set to launch free power supply scheme for weavers on April 1

Minister for BC Welfare and Handlooms and Textiles S. Savitha on Thursday (January 29) announced the launch free electricity supply up to 200 units to handlooms and 500 units to power looms (per month) from April 1​. This was a major promise made by the TDP-JSP-BJP alliance in the run-up to the 2024 elections, she said. 

Addressing media persons at the Secretariat , Ms. Savitha said that 103,534 families (93,000 handloom families and 10,534 power loom families) would benefit from the scheme. The handloom weavers would be able to save ₹720/month (approximately 8,640/year) and power loom weavers, ₹1,800/month (₹21,600/year). The scheme entailed an annual burden of ₹85 crore. 

The Minister said the free power scheme was aimed at uplifting weavers who was hit hard by market fluctuations. The coalition government has already increased the monthly pensions for weavers aged 50 and above from ₹3,000 to ₹4,000, benefiting 87,280 people. 

Arrears to handloom cooperative societies amounting to ₹7 crore were paid over the past two months, a 15% subsidy was being provided on yarn through the National Handloom Development Corporation and ₹1.67 crore was released towards the first installment of the Thrift Fund.

Ms. Savitha further said that memoranda of understanding were signed with Co-optex, Taneira (Tata) and Aadyam (Aditya Birla) for promoting handlooms through e-commerce platforms.

Steps were taken for the construction of Unity Mall in Visakhapatnam, establishment of textile parks at Yemmiganur, Rayadurgam, Mylavaram and Pamidi. Mega textile parks/clusters were in the offing in Mangalagiri, Dharmavaram and Pithapuram, she said. Principal Secretary (Handlooms and Textiles) R.P. Sisodia was present.