The Hindu : Accumulated silk stocks to be auctioned

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Saturday, May 04, 2002

Southern States

Southern States - Tamil Nadu

Accumulated silk stocks to be auctioned

By Our Special Correspondent

CHENNAI May 3. The Chief Minister, Jayalalithaa, today promised steps to clear the stocks of silk sarees accumulated with cooperative societies by auctioning them to readymade garment manufacturers.

Replying to a calling attention notice in the Assembly, she said the stocks could not be cleared despite a rebate being extended throughout the year and holding of exhibitions. Therefore, she had advised the Handlooms department to auction the stocks.

Earlier, the Handlooms Minister, V. Somasundaram, said the Government had already granted a special rebate of 35 per cent and 45 per cent for silk stocks accumulated for one year and two years respectively. Steps were also taken to hold exhibitions in connection with the Tamil New Year Day in Chennai, Salem, Madurai and Coimbatore.

Altogether, there were about Rs. 129.24-crore worth of silk cloth and Rs. 104.12-crore worth of cotton material with the societies.

The PMK member, G.K. Mani, who raised the issue, estimated the accumulated stocks of handloom goods at about Rs. 500 crores.

Begging protest by weavers

Our Kancheepuram Staff Reporter reports:

Meanwhile, members of the Handloom Weavers' Unions Federation took out a begging protest in the town today. They said no new measure had been taken for the welfare of the weavers in the State budget.

The processionists, numbering a little over 30 marched from Gandhi Road and converged at the Collectorate, where they presented a memorandum.

They carried bowls and sought alms from passersby and bus passengers. Unless the Government took urgent steps to solve the problems of the weavers, they would be forced to beg, said the members of the federation.

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