Telangana leads in welfare of weavers
Hyderabad: The Telangana government created history when it launched Netanna Ku Bima insurance scheme for weavers on August 7 – the National Handlooms Day. Telangana is the first State in the country to launch an insurance scheme for weavers.
Like Rythu Bima, this scheme is also being implemented in association with Life Insurance Company (LIC). The State Government pays the entire annual premium on behalf of the beneficiary to the insurance company.
This insurance scheme is being extended to weavers and subsidiary workers on the looms for which the geo-tagging is completed. The scheme covers weavers aged between 18 to 59 years. In case of death of the beneficiary, Rs.5 lakhs would be deposited into the nominee’s account. This amount will be credited to the nominee within 10 working days.
The scheme was formally inaugurated by Handlooms Minister KT Rama Rao on August 7 and came into effect from August 14. Like Netanna Ku Bima, the Telangana Government is providing support to the weavers in the State by implementing several welfare and development programmes.
After the State formation, Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao recognized the importance of handlooms and encouraged the weavers. Apart from welfare, the State Government focused on measures to ensure that weavers earn respectable wages.
Accordingly, the State Government is providing 40 percent subsidy on yarn, dyes and chemicals purchased by handloom workers, master weavers, handloom societies and TSCO under Cheneta Mitra scheme. This subsidy is directly credited to their bank account.
Till now 20,501 beneficiaries have been given subsidy of Rs.24.09 crores. As part of the Telangana Handloom Weavers Savings Fund, Savings and Security Scheme (TFSSS), the beneficiary’s share has remained unchanged at 8 per cent and the government share has been increased from 8 to 16 percent. The tenure of this recurring deposit account is 36 months.
Under this scheme, Rs.96.43 crores was given to 20,537 beneficiaries during 2017-2020. The government has decided to continue this scheme for another three years and Rs.30 crore has been released. Meanwhile, in the current phase, Rs.25.31 crores has been deposited in the RD account of 32,328 beneficiaries under this scheme.
The Government has released Rs.2.33 crore to handloom cooperative societies in 2022-23 with 25 paise interest. Also, Rs.3.22 crore was released under 20 per cent yarn subsidy scheme and Rs.6.02 crore under marketing incentives have been released to the societies.
Officials from Madhya Pradesh, Karnataka and Odisha visited Telangana to study the welfare schemes implemented in the State for welfare and development of handlooms. They appreciated the welfare schemes being implemented in the State.
In addition to these measures, the State Government as part of promoting the talent of handloom artists, is presenting Konda Laxman Bapuji awards annually. Apart from cash award of Rs.25,000, fashion shows are conducted every year to showcase traditional and contemporary handlooms.
Telangana State Handloom Weavers Co-operative Society Limited (TSCO) supplies fabrics for uniform and other purposes to government welfare hostels and schools. TSCO also supplies KCR Kits, Ramzan Gift Packets, Christmas Gift Packets, Anganwadi Sarees, Asha workers sarees.
