Ponnam Prabhakar assures of support to weavers, asks them not to take extreme steps

The Minister stressed that already Rs.50 crore arrears were released under first phase and in a few days another Rs.50 crore would be released to the weavers.

Hyderabad: In the wake of many weavers committing suicides, Backward Classes Welfare Minister Ponnam Prabhakar assured that State government would extend all support to weavers and appealed to them to not take extreme steps.

Meetings were being conducted with officials on the measures to be taken to bail out the weavers from crisis. Discussions were on whether to extend yarn on subsidy or sanction advanced looms under workers to owners sheds programme, he said while addressing media persons here on Friday.

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The State government was according top priority to weavers’ welfare. Already, through GOMS 1 different departments have been directed to procure required cloth exclusively from TSCO as a means to ensure weavers welfare and support them in eking out their livelihood, he reminded.

Holding the past government responsible for the weavers’ suicides, the Minister said 135 weavers had died by suicide between 2014 and 2023. “How can the four-months-old Congress government be held responsible for weavers’ suicides in the State,” asked Ponnam Prabhakar.

The Minister stressed that already Rs.50 crore arrears were released under first phase and in a few days another Rs.50 crore would be released to the weavers.

The Minister also appealed to the master weavers to support the workers in case of any financial or health issues. The State government would extend all support to the master weavers, he assured.