Letter urges Minister R Gandhi to ensure equitable distribution of production orders among powerloom units

Tamil Nadu Federation urges State govt. to release production orders to all co-op societies to manufacture dhotis & saris for free distribution to pensioners for Deepavali.

The Tamil Nadu Federation of Powerlooms Associations has urged the State government to release production orders to all cooperative societies instead of just a few to manufacture dhotis and saris for free distribution to pensioners for next year’s Deepavali.

B. Kandavel, organising secretary of the federation, made the request in a letter to Minister for Handlooms and Textiles R. Gandhi, which said that dhotis and saris are produced through weavers cooperatives and distributed free of cost to pensioners during Deepavali season. In the current year, 24.70 lakh saris and 9.40 dhotis were produced based on the orders given by the revenue department. “Though there are 240 power loom weavers’ cooperative societies in the State, production orders were given only to 40 societies,” the letter said. He said that saris and dhotis were procured from the societies at ₹148 and ₹119 respectively and the Co-optex, on behalf of the ministry, settled the dues.

“In the coming years, orders for producing dhoti and sari to pensioners should be given to all the societies to ensure jobs for workers,” the letter urged.