Varanasi silk weavers threatened by cheap Chinese silk: RS

New Delhi, Aug 3 (UNI) Janata Dal(U) member Ali Anwar today drew the government's attention to the plight of Varanasi silk weavers whose livelihood had become threatened after cheap Chinese silk sarees flooded the markets.

Speaking during special mentions in the Rajya Sabha, Mr Anwar regretted that India now was dependent on China for silk fibre. He sought protection for the centuries-old silk industry. About 300,000 weavers were left jobless in the 12 worst-affected districts of Uttar Pradesh due to the Chinese silk capturing domestic market, he said.

Congress member B K Hariprasad demanded the need for reforms in the process of selection in judicial services, particularly for the Scheduled Caste and Scheduled Tribe community through enactment of law.

His party colleague Mabel Rebello expressed concern over the monopoly of Dubai Ports World due to its control over the container terminal from Karachi to Dhaka. This, she said, was against India's interests as a developing economy and called for healthy competition in the interest of Indian industry.

CPI(M) member PR Rajan referred to the PDS system of Kerala and wanted higher allocation of wheat and kerosene to the state. Kerala was 85 per cent deficient in foodgrains and hence cuts in allocation through PDS to the state should be avoided as it was detrimental to the state, he said.

TDP member R Chandra Sekar Reddy highlighted the good work done by the forest department of Andhra Pradesh in Visakhapatnam and East Godavari districts. He said the coffee plantation raised in the 1970s and 1980s had benefited the tribals and wanted that degraded forest land should now be brought under cultivation.

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