In a bid to boost the handloom sector in the state, Telangana’s IT and industries minister KT Rama Rao has written to the Union minister of commerce and industry Piyush Goyal for sanctioning a mega powerloom cluster at Sircilla under the Comprehensive Powerloom Cluster Development Scheme (CPCDS).

This is the seventh time KTR has written to the Centre urging it to sanction the project.

In the latest letter, KTR pointed out that Sircilla has been a major hub of handloom and textiles activity for several decades and has the requisite ecosystem, including trained manpower required for such a mega powerloom cluster.

He also pointed out that the state government has initiated several measures such as 40% input subsidy linked wage compensation scheme, thrift fund to handloom and powerloom weavers to boost this sector.

He said that with the Centre’s support the state will not only be able to compete with other states but also other countries.

“Over the past few years we have been observing that the Union government is announcing schemes and assistance to states which lack the necessary ecosystem or resources. All this at the expense of fast developing states like Telangana… I make an earnest appeal on behalf of people of Telangana to sanction the Mega Powerloom Cluster at Sircilla without further delay,” he added.

(With inputs from agencies)