CHENNAI: Averring that handlooms sector is the largest employment generator next to agriculture, Chief Minister Edappadi K. Palaniswami has appealed to people to patronise the handloom products in a big way and bring change in the lives of the handloom weavers.
Highlighting the schemes launched by the state government for the welfare of the handloom weavers, the Chief Minister said handloom products are offered with 30 per cent discount between September 15 and January 31 every year, to mark the birth anniversary of former Chief Minister C. N. Annadurai. While former Chief Minister and AIADMK founder M. G. Ramachandran took the welfare schemes further by launching education aid to the children of handloom weavers, former CM J. Jayalalithaa had introduced several measures to promote the sector.
Apart from the free dhoti and sari scheme (which benefits 1.64 crore families) the government was distributing four sets of free uniforms to benefit 54 lakh students of government and government-aided schools.
In his message on the eve of National Handloom Day (Aug.7), Mr. Palaniswami appealed to the people from all walks of life to purchase silk and handloom clothes from showrooms run by the weavers' cooperative society, Co-optex and Loom World. "They should purchase the dresses and support and help handloom weavers. This would bring meaningful change in the lives of the handloom weavers," he urged.
He said August 7 is being celebrated as National Handloom Day to commemorate the Swadeshi Movement (which was part of the Indian independence movement and developing Indian nationalism).
He said the handlooms is the largest employment generating industry after agriculture. The CM also extended his wishes to the handloom weavers on the occasion.
