Chief Minister N. Rangasamy on Thursday announced a 20% hike in Dearness Allowance in wages given to weavers. The hike would come into effect from August 1, he said.
He was speaking after inaugurating the ‘5’ Skill Development (SAMARTH) training programme to handloom weavers at the Puducherry State Co-operative Union here.
Mr. Rangasamy said weaving had a rich history and was one of the important avocations in the Union Territory in the past. There was a time when weaving was the most important vocation, next only to agriculture, and handlooms were exported from Puducherry to other countries. All that has changed now and the craft has been restricted to a meagre 150 families today, he said.
Stating that the handloom industry was in the doldrums, the Chief Minister said declining demand coupled with lack of buyers had pushed weavers towards other professions. He called upon the youth to encourage weavers by wearing handlooms.
Earlier, the Chief Minister distributed cash prizes to eminent handloom weavers and toolkits to trainees.
Published – August 07, 2025 07:51 pm IST
