Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao has said his government’s steadfast efforts provided succour to weavers, who reeled under acute financial crisis before Telangana’s formation in 2014 and helped them get sustained income in the last nine-and-a-half years.
The BRS government has implemented a slew of initiatives such as “Bathukamma Saris” scheme aimed at giving fillip to the distressed weavers with humane approach, Mr. Rao, who is the BRS president, said while addressing an election meeting titled “Praja Ashirvada Sabha” in the textile town of Sircilla on Tuesday evening.
He touched upon various welfare schemes meant for weavers, farmers, and the toiling masses during his speech at the well-attended public meeting in Sircilla, the constituency represented by his son and party working president and Minister for Industries, IT and Textiles K. T. Rama Rao.
The textile hub of Sircilla used to grapple with crisis in the powerloom sector and unabated suicides by distressed weavers in the erstwhile united Andhra Pradesh due to the lopsided policies of the then rulers, he flayed. Sircilla has undergone remarkable transformation since the formation of Telangana following the implementation of concrete measures by the Telangana government to mitigate the financial woes of weavers and powerloom workers, he claimed.
The State government took up the responsibility of ensuring sustainable income to weavers here by placing assured orders worth crores for production of Bathukamma saris and the saris for distribution among poor people during festivals like Bathukamma, Ramzan and Christmas.
This has helped the weavers and powerloom workers earn sustainable income, he asserted, appreciating Mr K T Rama Rao for his consistent efforts for the uplift of weavers.
He added that the BRS will strive with renewed commitment to cater to all the needs of weavers in tune with the aspirations of local weavers to further develop Sircilla on the lines of Solapur in Maharashtra.
But some unscrupulous elements are trying to belittle the well-intended “Bathukamma Saris” scheme by setting ablaze the saris. It shows their narrow outlook without any concern for the welfare of weavers, he flayed.
Exuding confidence that the BRS will come back to power for the third consecutive term, Mr. Chandrasekhar Rao said people should be wary of the “false promises” of the Congress party.
“Don’t get confused. Or else the Congress will remove the Dharani portal, unleash exploitative regime like in the past, bring back electricity woes,“ he said.
The Upper Manair and other dams/reservoirs in the once parched region have turned into lifelines for farmers in the last nine-and-a-half years, he added.
The uninterrupted quality power supply is one of the hallmarks of the BRS’s effective governance which you will not find anywhere in the country, including Gujarat, he said, criticising the BJP-led Central government for insisting on fixing meters for agricultural pumpsets in the past.
“But we have refused to do so to safeguard the interests of our farmers,” he added.
Earlier, in his speech Mr. K T Rama Rao said Sircilla constituency witnessed phenomenal development in all spheres including education, health, agriculture, and irrigation under the leadership of Mr. K. Chandrasekhar Rao.
Telangana State Planning Board (TSPB) vice-chairman B Vinod Kumar, BRS candidate for Vemulawada Assembly constituency Chalmeda Lakshmi Narasimha Rao and others were present.
