CHENNAI: BJP’s farmers’ wing president GK Nagaraj has sought the intervention of the State government to find a permanent solution to the issues of striking powerloom weavers in Coimbatore and Tirupur districts.
The powerloom weavers, who were on a strike since March 19, demanding higher wages, ended their protest on Sunday following talks with Ministers MP Saminathan, V Senthilbalaji and Kayalvizhi Selvaraj in Coimbatore.
It was agreed that the Somanur variety will be given a 15 per cent hike and Palladam variety ten per cent. The 33-day-long strike led to a production loss of an estimated Rs 1,000 crore. They were demanding a wage hike in tune with an increase in electricity tariff, labour charges, and the increasing prices of raw materials.
The BJP’s farmers’ wing leader also urged the State government to provide subsidies to the farmers to establish solar power systems to bring down their power bills.
“The central government provides subsidies to upgrade the powerloom sector. The state should create awareness on those schemes and help the powerloom sector avail benefits to ensure protection of their livelihood,” he said, in a statement.