TIRUCHY: The Handlooms, Textiles and Khadi Department has begun inspecting cooperative spinning mills across the State to assess yarn production ahead of the distribution of free dhotis and sarees through PDS outlets during the upcoming Pongal festival.

Principal Secretary TN Venkatesh inspected the cooperative spinning mill at Kundagavayal village near Aranthangi in Pudukkottai on Friday as part of the exercise.

Venkatesh said the inspection was being carried out following Chief Minister C Joseph Vijay’s instruction to distribute free dhotis and sarees through PDS outlets for Pongal. The cooperative spinning mills at Andipatti, Ettayapuram, Aralvaimozhi, Ramanathapuram and Pudukkottai are being inspected to assess their yarn production, he said.

The yarn produced at these mills would be transported to handloom and powerloom centres in Erode, Thiruchengodu, Coimbatore and Srivilliputhur, where dhotis and sarees would be woven before being distributed to the respective districts, Venkatesh said.

He said the state government had allocated Rs 12 crore to renovate six spinning mills across Tamil Nadu, which would facilitate the production of yarn for dhotis, sarees and school uniforms.

The Pudukkottai mill, under the control of the state government, is spread over 23.47 acres and provides employment to people from the district and surrounding areas, he said.

The society, which was started with a capital of Rs 7.50 crore, was renovated at an estimated cost of Rs 34.58 crore and resumed operations with a capital fund of Rs 15.58 crore, Venkatesh said.

The Pudukkottai spinning mill has the capacity to produce 7,000 kg of yarn a day, he added.