UP CM seeks 30% subsidy on cotton yarn for weavers

27 Dec '11

2 min read

Looking forward to improve financial conditions of the handloom weavers in the State, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Mayawati has written to Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh seeking a grant of at least a 30 percent subsidy on cotton yarn.

The Chief Minister of the North Indian State also requested the PM to write off weavers' loans, just like the Centre has done for farmers.

She added that the 10 percent incentive on yarn granted by the Centre through a package for handloom weavers is quite insignificant.

She even stated that the loan waiver scheme for weavers is very much different than the one that the Centre announced prior to the last general elections.

The CM said that ensuring availability of yarn at a reduced rate has been a key demand of the weavers and it is the Centre's obligation to provide weavers with yarn at low cost through the National Handloom Development Corporation.

Ms. Mayawati also drew the PM's attention to the fact that there are around 250,000 handloom weavers in the State, majority of them living below the poverty line.

Considering the cut-throat competition in the market, the products prepared by these weavers cost more than those produced in the mills, and hence, they require financial backing to retain the competiveness of their products in the market, the CM said.

Fibre2fashion News Desk - India

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