Minister inaugurates State-level handloom expo

Housing Minister S. Muthuswamy inaugurated the State Handloom Exhibition in Erode on Wednesday. It was held under the National Handloom Development Programme of the Union Ministry of Textiles and the Handloom Department of the Government of Tamil Nadu. Collector H. Krishnanunny presided over the event. 

The Minister said the expo will be held till January 11 from 10 am to 8 pm at Devi Mahal.  Handloom weavers cooperative societies of 14 districts in Tamil Nadu have participated in this exhibition. 60 stalls have been set up at the fair and 113 handloom co-operative societies and Co-Optex are selling textiles. 

Government for all types of textiles

30 percent price discount is allowed by the government for all types of textiles. The sales target has been set at Rs.80 lakhs. Erode district has 188 handloom and 55 powerloom weavers co-operative societies and there are 55,151 members in Handloom and 7,327 members in Powerloom Societies. 

8,543 handlooms get  200 units of free electricity for every 2 months and 9,984 power looms get 750 units for 2 months in the district.  This year 242.5 lakh meters of handloom cloth were produced and 241.55 lakhs sold.  In powerlooms, 234.43 lakh metres were produced and 204.69 lakh meters sold, he added.