In 5 years, Telangana govt has given over 4.5 cr sarees for Bathukamma festival

Hyderabad, Aug 29: The Telangana Government has distributed over 4.79 crore Bathukamma sarees free of cost to women above 18 who are registered in food security cards, since 2017 with an expenditure of over Rs 1,466 crore.

As a result of the free sarees scheme, the power loom operators got a chance to get employment throughout the year and salaries of weavers increased and their living standards improved, an official government release said on Sunday.

The state government had launched the Bathukamma sarees distribution programme in 2017 with the objective of ensuring respectable income to weavers and offer sarees to women for the festivities. Bathukamma is a floral festival that is celebrated across the state in which flowers are stacked up and the word means 'festival of life' representing womanhood.

The state government has recently launched 'Nethanna Insurance Scheme' on the lines of 'Rythu Bhima' which is being implemented for farmers. In case of death of the insured person during the insurance period of this scheme, Rs 5 lakh will be deposited to the nominee within 10 days as per the scheme.

The state government is providing 40 per cent subsidy on yarn, dyes and chemicals purchased by handloom workers, master weavers, handloom societies and Telangana State Handloom Weavers Cooperative Society Limited under 'Cheneta Mitra' scheme, it said. The subsidy is directly credited to their bank account. Till now, 20,501 beneficiaries have been given subsidies worth Rs 24.09 crore.