Powerloom Weavers observe Fast in Erode

Tamil Nadu Powerloom Federation today held a one-day hunger strike in Erode asking the Tamil Nadu government to issue an order to produce free dhoti and saree. 

The federation president LKM Suresh said 67 thousand looms of 225 powerloom societies and about 2 lakh workers will get benefit. Of 1.80 crore dhothis and 1.80 cr sarees to be produced every year, 30 lakh sarees and 30 lakh dhotis production are earmarked for handloom and pedal looms. 

So, the rest would be produced by Powerloom.  In the budget Rs 493 crore has been allocated for this purpose. Out of this total production, 120 societies of Erode and Tiruchengode regions will be benefited.

 Last year the order was given in September and thus production ended by February. Normally, the cloth should be given to poor before Thai Pongal through ration shops. 

 So , only if the order is given now, the production can be completed by December. In the last 7 years, Rs 150 cr wages for cloth produced by the societies were not yet given. 

The wage for producing dhotis is Rs 24 and sarees Rs 43. It was fixed in 2019. We have not demanded hike in the wages.  We request  to release the arrears of Rs 150 crores and production order for this year.

Central Government has brought PowerTex India scheme through which various grants and loan schemes have been announced for powerlooms but the scheme has been stopped for the last three years and it should be implemented to help weavers to modernise looms and produce school uniform cloths also under the government scheme, he pleaded. Federation Treasurer  Balasubramaniam and Organizational Secretary Kandavel participated in the protest.