KTR targets Congress over weavers’ welfare, demands restoration of schemes

BRS working president KT Rama Rao accused the Congress government in Telangana of failing to implement promised welfare schemes for weavers, demanded revival of earlier initiatives like "Nethanna Bima" and "Nethannaku Cheyutha," and criticised both Congress and BJP for neglecting the handloom sector.

Hyderabad: BRS working president KT Rama Rao blamed the Congress government and its failure to implement welfare schemes for deepening distress in the handloom sector in Telangana. He demanded for the immediate restoration of welfare schemes introduced during the K Chandrashekhar Rao government, to prevent weavers’ suicides and ensure them assured income.

In an open letter to Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy on National Handloom Day on Friday, Rama Rao said none of the promises made by the Congress to weavers before the Assembly elections had been implemented. He demanded the revival of “Nethanna Bima” and “Nethannaku Cheyutha”, along with pending payments and other support measures.

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The former Minister reminded the Congress had promised an annual assistance of Rs 18,000 under “Nethanna Bharosa” scheme, Rs 6,000 for allied sector workers, loan waiver up to Rs 1 lakh for individual weavers, waiver of cash-credit loans of handloom cooperatives and reimbursement of the five per cent GST burden imposed on handloom products. He alleged that all these commitments remained unfulfilled even after two and a half years of Congress rule.

Rama Rao recalled that the previous BRS government provided Rs 5 lakh life insurance to around 55,072 weavers under “Nethanna Bima”, with the government bearing the premium. Under “Nethannaku Cheyutha”, it also supported workers’ savings, while cooperatives received concessional loans and marketing rebates.

He questioned why the government orders, including those for Bathukamma sarees and school uniforms, were being diverted to private entities, which in turn reduced livelihood opportunities for weaver families.

Targeting the BJP-led Centre as well, the BRS working president said the abolition of the All India Handloom Board, Handicrafts Board and Powerloom Board, withdrawal of schemes such as house-cum-work sheds and imposition of GST on handlooms, had hurt the sector. He stated that both the Congress and BJP governments in Telangana and at the Centre respectively, adopted similar approaches towards handloom workers.

Calling for action beyond ceremonial observance of National Handloom Day, Rama Rao urged the State government to revive all discontinued welfare schemes, clear arrears and implement its electoral commitments.

“Handloom survives only when the weaver survives,” he said, urging the government to stand by weaver families and protect the sector.