‘A.P. government focused on welfare, development of handloom and handicrafts sector’

The government of Andhra Pradesh has extended comprehensive welfare and developmental support to strengthen the handloom and handicrafts sector, said Honorary Advisor for Handlooms and Handcrafts Development, Suchitra Ella.

Speaking at the inaugural function of Gandhi Bunkar Mela – 2025 on Monday at Sri Sesha Sai Kalyana Vedika in Vijayawada, she said that the welfare schemes included NTR Pension Bharosa under which the government provides financial aide of ₹445 crore annually and ₹4,000 monthly assistance to 92,724 weavers in the State.

Referring to the free power support, she said that 200 units were given monthly to 93,000 handloom households, while monthly 500 units were being provided to 11,488 powerloom units, costing ₹189 crore annually. Under the thrift fund scheme, 5,300 weavers were benefitting from ₹5 crore fund released to them and ₹3 crore was being extended to cooperative societies towards GST reimbursement.

Informing that the mela would be open to the public till September 7, she said that the objective of the event was to facilitate the disposal of piled-up stocks of the primary handloom weaver cooperative societies and to ensure continuous employment to the hardworking weavers.

Commissioner of Handlooms and Textiles, G. Rekha Rani, said that the Gandhi Bunkar Mela is hosting 100 handloom societies and institutions, including 45 from Andhra Pradesh, showcasing cotton and silk sarees, Jamdhani saris, Kalamkari varieties, dress materials, carpets, and more, all at production cost.

She said that Andhra Pradesh was home to globally renowned products like Venkatagiri, Dharmavaram, Uppada, Mangalagiri, Ponduru, Chirala, Pedana, Madhavaram, and Madanapalle, sustaining thousands of families through 986 cooperative societies.

Informing that Andhra Pradesh had bagged 10 ODOP awards in 2024, including fourfor handlooms, she said the State had also partnered with Aditya Birla’s AADYAM, Taneira (TATA), and Antharan (TATA Trust), enabling artisans to secure work opportunities round the year.