Southern States - Pondicherry   

Buy handloom goods for govt. schemes: CPI(M)

By Our Staff Reporter

Pondicherry Aug. 10. The secretary of the Pondicherry unit of the CPI (M), T. Murugan, has called upon the Territorial administration to purchase handloom goods produced by over 3000 weaver families in the Union Territory and use them for government schemes.

In a statement issued here recently, he said the present plight of handloom weavers in the neighbouring Tamil Nadu was causing concern and trade unions and handloom weavers' organisations had been cautioning the government against replication of a similar situation in Pondicherry. More than 20,000 families of weavers were eking out a livelihood from their traditional occupation here but the number had dwindled to some 3000.

Goods produced by them had been purchased by such cooperative organisations as PONTEX, PONFAB and weavers' societies. Mr. Murugan regretted that the daily wages paid to weavers remained static at Rs. 40 for the last five years, with no efforts made to enhance them and improve the lot of weavers. A separate Board should be created to address the issues of weavers to ensure a decent living to them..

He called upon the Chief Minister to initiate steps for weavers' welfare. The weavers staged demonstrations recently which evoked a good response, particularly from women weavers.

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