North Karnataka weavers take out a massive rally in Belagavi

The members of Uttara Karnataka Vrutipara Nekarara Horata Samiti (North Karnataka Professional Weavers’ Agitation Committee) demanded the government fulfil its 10 demands.

The demands included reducing the power tariff to ₹2.25 per unit from the current ₹3.50 and to include weavers in the unorganised labour sector. They also demanded the government purchase fabric directly from them for various departments.

“The government provides an honorary amount of ₹5,000 per annum only to handloom weavers under Nekara Saman Yojana. They have completely ignored power-loom weavers and their labourers,” Ramesh S, a weaver and a former corporator of the Belagavi district corporation, said.

He further said that the BJP government discontinued most of the welfare programmes, such as Yeshasvini Yojana (health scheme), and stopped providing loans at low interest to weavers.

“The government has completely neglected the weavers. It announces welfare programmes and schemes but never implements them. We demand the chief minister to announce schemes and issue a government order immediately.”

There are three boards for weavers: the Karnataka State Handloom Development Corporation, Karnataka Power Loom Development Corporation and Karnataka State Textile Infrastructure Development Corporation.

“These are namesake boards and they have turned into guest houses. The government has not even earmarked a single penny for these boards. If the government is not keen on developing the weavers’ community, it is better to shut down these corporations,” Gajanan Gunjeri, president of the Weavers Associations Federation, fumed.

“The Basavaraj Bommai-led government is making fake promises but is not implementing a single programme for the weavers’ welfare. The policies and schemes for the weavers are weak,” Gunjeri told South First.

“It is unfortunate that the state government purchases clothes such as sarees for various departments from other states. If the government procure them from the local weavers, it will boost their financial status,” he added.

The weavers also highlighted the increase in the prices of raw materials and the diminishing market.

“The government has not done anything to provide raw materials at an affordable price. The hike in the price of raw materials price has led to an increased production cost but the retail price for the fabric is the same. Weavers are reeling under a financial crisis,” Govindaraj Bellary, another weaver, said.

“Due to the increased production cost and poor market for the products, around 45 percent of weavers are opting for other professions. The government has to come to the rescue of the weavers,” he urged.

Bommai announces Sankranthi gift

Meanwhile, Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai announced various programmes and schemes for weavers on Monday, 19 December.

“We will bring in some changes to the textile policy in the coming days. Karnataka has been the biggest exporter of textiles in the country. Ilkal saree needs branding at a national level. We will make agreements with e-commerce platforms for branding Ilkal saree,” he said in Belagavi.

The chief minister announced that the Nekara Samman Yojana would cover power-loom weavers also.

“The ₹5,000 per annum financial assistance being given to handloom weavers will be extended to power-loom weavers. This will be a Sankranthi gift to the weavers,” he said.

“The subsidy for professional weavers has been increased from 30 percent to 50 percent,” he announced.

Bommai promised that the government would buy clothes from the weavers. “The products are being bought under the Education Department’s Vidya Vikas scheme. The department will place the order for cloth required for schoolchildren in December itself,” he added.

“Tenders will be issued for procuring clothes. We have also decided to buy 25 percent of the uniform requirement of various departments from Karnataka Handloom Development Corporation,” Bommai assured.

He also announced zero-interest loans of up to ₹2 lakh and a 50 percent concession in power tariffs.

“Those working in looms will be treated as unorganised labourers and all benefits will be extended to them. The employment opportunities are abundant in the textile industry and it is important to promote this sector in the interest of the country,” Bommai stated.

Taking a dig at the chief minister, Kannada activist Ashok Chandaragi said that the government had announced similar programmes during the winter session last year. “Surprisingly, the chief minister did not issue any order for implementing the programmes.”

“The weavers will trust this government only if it issues orders on all the programmes the chief minister had announced. “It is sad that the government is neglecting weavers,” Chandaragi added.

“The politicians consider weavers as a strong vote bank. The chief minister announced these programmes only to stop this rally. We will not dance to their tunes anymore. If they fail to fulfil our demands, weavers will teach a befitting lesson to the government in the 2023 assembly polls,” Gunjeri warned.