CHIEF MINISTER Mulayam Singh Yadav’s announcement that weavers will be charged only Rs 65 per powerloom has generated a mixed response.
Most leaders termed it an attempt to woo weavers. The others said the government had fulfilled its promises to the community.
Qamruzzama Ansari said if the State Government was honest regarding welfare of weavers, the government should revive UPICA and UP Handloom Corporation for purchasing powerloom and handloom products.
He also said welfare schemes had been suspended earlier. Now that State assembly elections were round the corner, the CM was trying to woo weavers, he said.
On the other hand, UP Bunker Front leader Ashfaq Ahmad Ansari and Weavers’ Cooperative Society Association president Ummed Ali Ansari said the chief minister had fulfilled his promises to the weavers’ community. He said the announcement to constitute a committee to examine problems of weavers would pave the way for a solution.
He said the government should make its intentions clear and added that weavers constituted the Samajwadi Party’s vote bank.
Weavers’ community leader Nafees Ahmad Ansari and Zaheer Ahmad said it was a step in the right direction, though it had been taken late. They said around 8000 powerloom owners in the city would benefit from the scheme, as their electricity bills would be reduced, cutting down on the production cost.
{{/usCountry}}Weavers’ community leader Nafees Ahmad Ansari and Zaheer Ahmad said it was a step in the right direction, though it had been taken late. They said around 8000 powerloom owners in the city would benefit from the scheme, as their electricity bills would be reduced, cutting down on the production cost.
{{/usCountry}}Senior Congress leader Zameer Ahmad Payam raised various questions and said the district was getting 10 to 12 hours of power supply and powerloom owner would have to pay Rs 65 per month per powerloom. He further said that in the rainy season, powerlooms were not effective, but they would still have to pay their electricity bills.