The National Handloom Day was celebrated in Vijayawada in a colourful manner with weavers exhibiting their best work, attracting scores of people to have a second look at them and appreciate the workmanship. On this occasion, Minister for Textiles and Handlooms Kollu Ravindra said that the government of Andhra Pradesh plans to announce a Rs 125-crore loan waiver scheme which would benefit about 2.80 lakh weavers from the state. Apart from this the state it is also considering a plan to provide interest free loans to weavers to promote the traditional handloom sector. The AP government is considering re-introduction of the Janata cloth scheme for the poor at an expenditure of Rs 550 crore to supply a dhoti and a saree to all poor people in the state. The scheme introduced by NTR during the previous TDP regime. Sampangi Pattu Cheera’, designed and woven by young weaver and fashion designer P Mohan of Dharmavaram in Anantapur district, displayed at the handloom exhibition organised in the city to mark the ‘National Handloom Day’ was the main attraction. Ministers and others, who visited the expo, appreciated Mohan for his masterpiece. Mohan said that he had woven 11 unique sarees in the past was also providing training for others in such designs. The saree was woven with special silk yarn that was kept in pulp of white ‘chameli’ (sampangi), that is found in Mamandur area of Seshachalam, for 98 hours. The ‘chameli’ scent on the sareee is permanent. Principal secretary (Handloom and Textiles) SS Rawat on the occasion of National Handloom day said that Mangalagiri, Venkatagiri, Uppada, Dharmavaram handlooms have found a place in ‘India Handloom Brand’, which will enhance their demands at national and international levels. The Central Government has decided to set up mega clusters with an investment of Rs 26 crore in Guntur and Prakasam.
