VISAKHAPATNAM: Responding to a report published in Deccan Chronicle, Union finance minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Saturday directed the Andhra Pradesh government to include hand-made Ponduru khadi in the Centre-owned Government e-Market (GeM), a one-stop government e-marketplace, hosted by Director-General of Supplies and Goods (DGS&G) where common user goods and services can be procured.
The report headlined "AP's hand-made Ponduru khadi battles for survival. Digitisation, funds may help Ponduru khadi" was published in these columns on August 4.
While participating in the ‘National Handloom Day’ celebrations at Ponduru in Srikakulam district, the minister ordered the district collector Srikesh B Lathkar to add pure cotton production to the GeM, a dynamic, self-sustaining and user-friendly portal.
Addressing the gathering, she said that revenue productivity of khadi has doubled from Rs 9,000 crore in 2014 to Rs 18,000 crore this year.
“Since the number of handloom weavers is low in Ponduru, the mega cluster has not come up here. I urge the locals to increase the numbers and be assured of a mega cluster here. I will take up the issue with the textile ministry,” Sitharaman said.
The minister also suggested the collector convene a meeting with bankers and handloom weavers to work out logistics for providing loans to eligible weavers. The bankers were directed to increase the loan amount to them by 50 per cent before the coming Gandhi Jayanti.
Assembly speaker Tammineni Sitaram said that there was a cultural connection between Ponduru and the nation. Gandhi used to send his son to Ponduru to check the quality of the cotton clothes he wore.
Deputy chief minister Dharmana Krishnadas said that the then president Pratibha Patel had ordered Ponduru sarees. Former US president Bill Clinton was also a patron, he pointed out.
Demand for craft market centre in Vizag
VISAKHAPATNAM: A team from Crafts Council of Andhra Pradesh (CCAP) met Union finance minister Nirmala Sitharaman, urging her to earmark an area in the city for organising craft activities on a regular basis.
CCAP president Ammaji Rayadu gifted her with select pieces of Andhra’s crafts, including a sari from Mangalagiri, a showpiece from Etikoppaka, along with other crafts and weaves from the region.
Rayadu said that since the bifurcation of Andhra Pradesh, CCAP has not had enough space to set u a craft market centre. Vizag would be apt for such activity and help the craft to flourish, they told the minister.
