Khadi to sell linen dhotis, sarees for Diwali in Tamil Nadu

CHENNAI: The State government will begin selling linen dhotis and sarees ahead of Deepavali, Handlooms, Textiles and Khadi Minister M Vijay Balaji told the Assembly on Tuesday (September 1).

Replying to DMDK MLA Premallatha Vijayakant during the debate on the demands for grants for his department, Balaji said the Handlooms, Textiles and Khadi Department would promote the products and begin selling them before the festival.

The minister also said weaving wages for sarees and dhotis supplied under the government's welfare schemes had been enhanced. The wage for a saree had been raised from Rs 178.36 to Rs 203.86 and that for a dhoti from Rs 151.71 to Rs 166.26, he said.

He said Cooptex showrooms in Cuddalore and Vriddhachalam would be renovated soon. Free eye check-up camps would be organised for weavers aged above 50, with spectacles provided to eligible beneficiaries, he added.

Earlier, Premallatha urged the government to revive the handloom and khadi sectors and improve the welfare of weavers. She sought higher wages for those producing government-supplied sarees, saying that many weavers were elderly and had difficulty with their eyesight.

She also sought Rs 10 lakh compensation for the families of deceased weavers and an increase in their monthly pension from Rs 1,000 to Rs 3,000.

Premallatha sought a textile park in Elampillai, Salem, easier access to institutional credit, modern khadi outlets, and greater promotion of khadi through exhibitions and fashion events.

The DMDK leader also sought a welfare board for head-load workers in Vriddhachalam, cold-storage facilities for cashew, mango and jackfruit produce, subsidies for barbers and tailors, and measures to protect salt-pan workers affected by the proposed shipbuilding yard at Mullakadu.