KTR to write to PM Modi demanding abolition of GST on handlooms, textiles
Hyderabad: Hitting out at BJP-led government at the Centre for its anti-weaver policies, TRS (BRS) working president and Textiles Minister KT Rama Rao on Friday demanded the union government to abolish the 5 per cent GST being imposed on the handlooms and textiles industry in the country. While he would be writing a letter to […]
Hyderabad: Hitting out at BJP-led government at the Centre for its anti-weaver policies, TRS (BRS) working president and Textiles Minister KT Rama Rao on Friday demanded the union government to abolish the 5 per cent GST being imposed on the handlooms and textiles industry in the country. While he would be writing a letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi on the issue, he urged people of Telangana to post bulk letters to the Prime Minister’s Office and bring the Centre to its knees.
Participating in a meeting organised by Padmashali community at Manneguda in Ibrahimpatnam constituency here, Rama Rao said Narendra Modi was the first Prime Minister to impose tax on handlooms and textiles sector which was second largest employer of the country. He felt that the Modi government was determined to end all the welfare and developmental initiatives of the successive governments for weavers.
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“From National Handloom Board and National Powerloom Board to Mahatma Gandhi Bhunkar Yojana and weavers’ insurance and savings schemes, the Centre is removing all the schemes. Further, there is no response from the union government to the requests from the Telangana government to support weavers,” the Minister said. Due to the Centre’s lackadaisical attitude, India was far behind countries like Bangladesh and Sri Lanka in textile production.
He stated that the BJP government remained irresponsive to requests to support establishment of Kakatiya Mega Textile Park, National Textile Research Institute, Handlooms Export Promotion Council, Institute of Handloom Technology and other facilities. He pointed out that even after four years, union Home Minister Amit Shah’s promise to establish a handloom park at Narayanpet also remained a non-starter.
Rama Rao detailed several progressive measures taken up by the TRS government for welfare of the weavers community. He said the TRS government has been allocating a budget of Rs 1,200 crore per annum for the welfare of the handloom sector, provided a 40 per cent subsidy on yarn and dyes through ‘Chenetha Mithra’ scheme, introduced Rs five lakh insurance coverage for handloom and power loom workers through ‘Nethanna Ku Bhima’ and implementing ‘Nethannaku Cheyutha’ scheme.
During COVID, the Telangana government through ‘Nethannaku Cheyutha’ has sanctioned an amount of Rs 100 crore to weavers much before the maturity date. The scheme is being continued keeping in view the benefit it has provided to the community, he added. He said the TRS government has waived weavers loans ranging up to Rs 1 lakh which has benefited about 10,500 people.
On the occasion, the Minister said an integrated training, production and sales centre in Narayanpet and handlooms park in Gadwal are being set up. He also announced that the State government would provide Rs 3 lakh to each eligible weaver having a housing plot for construction of their house. He also assured to provide Asu equipment, looms, sheds and other equipment required for weavers to operate and produce textiles.
